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Change Your Current Behaviour

You don’t think you have a problem. You don’t know you have a problem.

How you can you change your current behaviour if you don’t realize it’s problematic in the first place?

In my last blog post I discussed how you first need to recognize that you have a health-related problem to make a change. Becoming more aware of the potential negative consequences of that behaviour is part of the process to push you along the path to making a positive change to your current situation.

As a physiotherapist I use the example of posture and pain-free movement as it is something I address on a daily basis. It can be easy to recognize that you need to make a change, but it is completely different to actually follow through with it.

Prochaska and Diclemente developed the Stages of Change as part of their Transtheoretical Perspective. When making changes to better ourselves you will go through these stages, albeit not in a linear fashion. The first stage is Precontemplation. How do you know if you are in this stage?

You don’t. You don’t think you have a problem. You’re not aware your current behaviour is having a negative impact on your health. All that sitting, working over that laptop. All those nights you complain about tight neck and shoulder muscles. And your sore back. You probably know your posture isn’t great. You just haven’t made the connection.

In this stage you have no intention to change. Those around you are more aware you have a problem and may encourage you do something about it. They may suggest: “Maybe you should go see my physio about the back pain you’re always complaining about”.

It is only once you recognize the issue and plan to make a serious change that you can you progress on to the next stage…

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