Could you tell by my September 2nd blog that I’m concerned about being able to make these life-style changes permanent? Well, I just had a light bulb moment regarding change that I’m excited to share!

I ran out for lunch and while waiting in the drive thru for my turkey-on-wheat-hold-the-mayo-extra-lettuce-please, I was listening to Dr. Laura Schlessinger on the radio. Whether or not you are a fan of Dr. Laura, she said something that really made sense . . . “We don’t change because we’re not willing to suffer.”

All the things I’ve ever wanted to change in my life ran through my mind and I came to the conclusion that she’s absolutely right.

Whether you want to change your eating habits, exercise more, spend less money, get a new job, break up with your boyfriend, move to a new city, quit smoking, stop swearing, face a fear, etc…it all begins with suffering.

suf•fer•ing (ˈsə-fər(ə-)riŋ) - : to submit to or be forced to endure

“Suffering” may sound a little dramatic, but just think about it…if I resist that hot fudge sundae, I have to endure not having the satisfaction of eating it; if I want to exercise more, I have to endure that second mile I’ve added to the first; if I want to spend less money, I have to endure not getting something I’ve afforded myself in the past. Essentially, whenever I give in to something I’m trying to change it’s because I’m not willing to suffer a little to make that change.

Dr. Laura followed up that statement by saying each time we suffer to change, it makes the next time we have to suffer less painful and so on until it just becomes a new way of life we don’t even have to think about.

I’ve said before I’m a realist, so I’m not naïve enough to think I won’t ever be tempted or fall back into old habits, but I understand now that permanent change means being mindful of how to change and being willing to endure things that may be difficult at first until that change is on track again.

Not only does it seem that “enduring” maybe required for change, it would appear it’s the only way to permanent change. Please tell Dr. Laura and me we are wrong – it would be much easier if a little suffering weren’t a part of the change process!