Got big goals and have a great plan of attack but still having difficulty putting it into action? We know that eating salad is a healthy choice, but pizza is delicious. We know exercising is good for us, but sitting down at the end of a long day is also appealing.

It's completely understandable to have mixed feelings when it comes to our choices and the idea of change, so this is when it can help to do some reflecting. Have a piece of paper and a pen ready, and work your way through these questions.

The benefits of staying the same

If nothing changed for you and things remained as-is, what positives would there be?

The benefits of changing

What are the good things about following through with the changes you're working towards?

The challenges of changing

What difficulties and concerns do you have about trying t make these changes?

The negatives of staying the same

What are the downsides to keeping things as they are?

What possibilities are there for you?

If you made the changes, what could that lead to in the future for you?

What does change look like for you?

Visualise the changes you hope to make - what would that feel and look like?

Time for analysis

Once you've answered all the questions, have a look over them. Are the benefits of changing outweighing the negatives? Are there big differences between what you would like to achieve compared to where you are right now?

If you've identified any challenges, this gives you the opportunity to address them - how can you turn them around?

If you don't want to change

You don't actually have to! If you've answered all the questions and decided that you're happy with where you're at right now after all, you may have just identified why you're struggling to make the changes you've been working toward.

Remember that lifestyle changes are all about everyday choices, and your options aren't necessarily positive versus negative, but rather a series of trade-offs. Salad vs. pizza. An early night vs. movie night with your other half. A gym workout vs. quality time with your kids. It comes back to what you're willing to do to achieve the results you want, and what is really important in your life.

The key here is that you are responsible for your choices; whether you decide to move ahead with change or to keep things the same. And know that your decision - whatever it may be - is right for you at this point in time (but may still potentially change in the future!).

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