Some insights about 'Change'...

While searching some information online,I came across one article where the writer has written about how to bring about desirable change in life by breaking bad habits. I read that article and it was such an eye opener that I found it very much insightful. While reading that article I also could remember Kurt Lewin's 'Change model'.

What does this 'Change model' of Kurt Lewin say?

Most of the people are unhappy in their life because they don't know how to change their certain habits pertaining to thoughts, emotions and behaviour. People often say that they want to change themselves but they don't or can't (Seemingly). So according to Kurt Lewin's 'Change model', we can bring about desirable change with the implementation of three phases - Unfreez, Change and Refreez.

Let me illustrate this with an analogy. If we have to change the shape of water from 'cylindrical' to 'cone', first we need to 'unfreez' i.e. melt the water which is in cylindrical shape. Then we need to change the container (Actual action of change) by filling the water in container which has cone shape but that not an end of the story. Water is still in the liquid form. It has not gotten the cone shape yet. So we need to 'refreez' the water in the cone shape container. And then after some time, we can get cone shape water (Cone shape ice). Similarly, if we have to change one of our bad habits, first we need to 'unfreez' ourselves means we have to make us ready for change by various means, one of which is 'shocking process'. We need to 'shock' ourselves about need of a change. We need to convince ourselves by some means that some change needs to take place. E.g. Suppose if there is a boy who is not serious about study. He needs to 'unfreez' himself by convincing himself about need of change ( Like if he doesn't study well then he can't make good career and thus can't live good life). This 'shock' will make him get prepared for change. Then he needs to 'change' his behaviour. He needs to follow some good habits which will help in concentrating more on studies and will make him study well. Then he needs to 'refreez' this good change by reinforcing it (Here he can appreciate himself, can give incentives to the self, can reward the self, if other people are involved in this change process e.g. parents, teachers or friends then they also can reward this boy which will reinforce this good behaviour and can 'refreez' it. This is Kurt Lewin's 'Change model'.

Now let me take you through what I read in that article (By Niklas Goeke), the one I mentioned about in the beginning. The article says that we should stop identifying with our bad habits. E.g suppose if there is a person who just can't wake up early in the morning and this habits of him/her is really disturbing for him/her. People call him/her 'lazy' And he/she also has 'accepted'/'labeled' himself/herself now as 'lazy'. This 'acceptance' or 'labeling' prevents him/her from looking at self from different, positive angle. He/she just cant imagine the self 'being capable of waking up early'. He/she just needs to stop identifying with the labels then only he/she can think of new 'identity'. He/she needs to identify with the new desirable identity and start living that identity. If he/she can do this, he/she can change his/her bad habits and can change the self. Another way to change the bad habit is 'replacing' that by some better habit (Given in the same article). The person who bites his/her nails continuously and who just cant stop it can indulge himself/herself in the act of 'rubbing nails over each other'. This is better habit as this helps in good blood circulation too.

So what are you thinking about? Got an idea about how to change your own bad habits? If yes, then great. Don't wait anymore to utilize these insights. Just follow these techniques, get rid of bad habits and bring about healthy change in your life.

Have a healthy life.

Thank you.

- Dipti S. A. Shinde.