ARTICLE

Insight is Only the Beginning

Dr. Denee Jordan, Already Well, published 6/4/202
Whe!her or no! you are a"are o# i!, you are $han%in% ri%h! !his &inu!e' (u&an bein%s are al"ays
$han%in%' )ur brains and bodies house all o# our #eelin%s, ideas, #ears, beha*iors, and habi!s and are
$ons!an!ly adap!in%, learnin%, and re%enera!in%. I! really isn+! possible !o not learn and $han%e.
This &i%h! be a surprise !o you, espe$ially i# you ha*e been !ryin% !o $han%e and !hin- no!hin% is
happenin%. The $hallen%e !hen be$o&es $han%in% "i!h a"areness. We all -no" !ha! serious $han%e
in*ol*es &ore !han a de$ision !o do i!. The .yo/yo0 "ei%h! loss indus!ry is a per#e$! e1a&ple.
The reason i! is so hard !o $han%e $er!ain e&o!ional rea$!ions and beha*iors is be$ause "e ha*e spen!
years .pro%ra&&in%0 our brains !o respond $er!ain "ays. E*en !hou%h "e are no! a"are o# i!, e*ery
!i&e "e !hin-, a$!, or #eel a $er!ain "ay, "e are rein#or$in% !he pa!!ern in our brain. Resear$h has
pro*en !his. Thin- o# our beha*ior li-e a pa!h in a #ield. 2irs! "e $an hardly %e! !hrou%h be$ause o# !he
"eeds and %rass. I# "e -eep "al-in% on !he sa&e pa!h, e*en!ually "e "ear i! in. 3re!!y soon "e are
"al-in% on a pa!h !ha! is s&oo!h and "ell/"orn, "i!hou! e*en no!i$in%. E*en!ually !here "ill be ru! and
i! see&s as !hou%h "e are s!u$- and $an0! see !o ."al- ano!her "ay0. As you "ell -no", .bein% in a ru!0
in our li*es $an be #rus!ra!in%, sha&e#ul and depressin% and only &a-es &a!!ers "orse.
There#ore, you $an see !ha! &any years o# .pra$!i$in%0 $er!ain "ays o# beha*in%, !hin-in% and #eelin%
$anno! be undone "i!hou! $onsis!en! a!!en!ion, pa!ien$e, and en$oura%e&en!. I! is no! a &a!!er o# "ill
po"er, i! is a &a!!er o# ha*in% a reasonable plan, $onsis!en$y and pa!ien$e. I!0s 4us! li-e learnin% !o play
!he piano, 4us! be$ause you ha*e a piano and unders!and !he &e$hani$s o# playin% doesn+! &ean you
"ill be able !o play. 3ra$!i$e &a-es pro%ress, bu! i! doesn0! &a-e per#e$!. 5ou "ill &a-e &is!a-es. I#
you bea! yoursel# up, your "ill #eel dis$oura%ed and dise&po"ered. Chan%e #re6uen!ly re6uires help
and suppor! #ro& o!her people and serious li#es!yle $han%es.
(u&ans are !he only li*in% $rea!ures !ha! $an re#le$! on !he "ay !hey are !hin-in% and beha*in%. 5our
body and &ind "an! !o be heal!hy. We are al"ays healin% and al"ays re%enera!in%, so a li!!le $han%e
%oes a lon% "ay. I# you need help "i!h a plan, suppor! and #ollo" !hrou%h !hen see- i! ou!. All %rea!
a!hle!es, ar!is!s, and s$holars had !ea$hers and &en!ors. They did no! be$o&e pro#i$ien! "i!hou!
%uidan$e. We hu&an bein%s are !ruly re&ar-able. I# you are ali*e, you are $apable o# su$$ess, bu!
insi%h! and $o&&i!&en! are only !he be%innin%. 7u$$ess in*ol*es $onsis!en$y, suppor!, and pa!ien$e'