Awaken a Better YouSample

Step 3: Application

Transformation doesn’t happen by accident. It’s always the result of intentional action guided by a well-ordered plan.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, here’s some good news. You don’t need to do it all right now. If a desperate situation has led you to seek change, you’re already on the right track. Once you start applying what you’re learning, then you’re on the road to transformation—and God promises that He will complete the transformation He has begun in us (Philippians 1:6).

While you don’t need every little thing in place before you start making changes, it’s helpful to know a few stages that you’ll face on your journey:

• Desire. A journey toward better health has to be something you want for yourself, not something others have pressured, shamed, or forced you into. The desire starts with you.
• Decision. Your desire for transformation must lead you to make a specific decision to change your direction.
• Discomfort. Transformation, though necessary, is never easy. Even contemplating making changes may stretch you beyond your comfort zone. If you anticipate this discomfort, it will hold less sway over you when it comes.
• Determination. Once you decide to change, your subconscious will immediately go to work trying to sabotage you. You’ll need determination to override your body's and brain’s panicked overreactions in order to press forward toward transformation.
• Drive. As you move into application, one thing that will keep you grounded is your motivation. What is your purpose for awakening a better you? Whenever you feel tempted to give up, reconnecting with your purpose will fill you with fresh motivation.

With your chosen guides by your side, move from information to application by designing a practical plan with reasonable steps to walk the path toward transformation. Remember, depending on where you are and where you wish to go, what these steps look like, the order that you take them, and the amount of time it takes to accomplish each one will always vary. Never compare your journey of transformation with another person’s. God is at work in you, individually, in light of your unique gifts and purpose.

How will you start making a change in the situation you are feeling desperate about? What is your reason behind wanting that change?