18  Chapter 1
The Process of Change
Past programming affects us in numerous visible and invisible ways. Our everyday routines reflect our beliefs back to us. Some of these beliefs are self-created and others were implanted long ago. When we try to change, our deeply held beliefs and programming make themselves known. There are many obstacles to change and we will address these through the rest of part 1. As you read the following section, keep in mind a behavior or habit that interferes with your creative life. This could be spending too much time in front of the TV or computer, nursing an addiction, saying yes to things you don’t want to do, or some other activity that takes your time but does not add much value to your life. First, understand that change itself is not a single action or shift; rather, change is a process. The Transtheoretical Model (Prochaska & DiClemente 1983; Prochaska, DiClemente & Norcross 1992) is a scientifically proven paradigm that describes the stages we go through in the process of intentional change. Change, even when we want it, is challenging. It is normal to experience resistance or waning motivation. Typically, change occurs in measurable stages. This model applies to any kind of change we may wish for; the following section relates it to living a more creative life. Pre-Contemplation Stage happens before you even think of a change. There is either a denial of the problem or an awareness of the problem with an unwillingness to change it. For example, you may be in the PreContemplation Stage of something in your creative journey that will make itself known in a later chapter or exercise. Remain curious and nonjudgmental with yourself. Contemplation Stage has broken through denial, so you are aware of the benefit of change, but it does not mean you are ready. You may be more aware of how your habit interferes with your creative life, and you spend time thinking about the problem, but you have mixed feelings about changing things. This is the time to weigh pros and cons of