Moving right along in our series about the Transtheoretical Model of Change (Prochaska & DiClemente), today we look at Stage 3 which is Preparation. The preparation stage of change has moved to some form of action:
- Small changes are seen in the preparation stage and we will most likely move to full action in about a month’s time.
- During this phase, we will seek out the information we need in order to make the change happen; examples include: speaking to our doctor, booking an appointment with a therapist, joining an exercise program, signing up for a program, etc.
- We form our plan of action which can include researching obstacles and how to deal with them, putting our support people in place, and coming up with alternative behaviours that are healthier.
- We also gear ourselves up for success by putting things into place that will help us to stay motivated; that might include joining a support group or downloading an app that helps keep us on track.
The preparation stage tend to be a motivating time for people as it is the ‘information gathering stage;’ the more informed we tend to be, the more we feel ready to move into full action, the fourth stage in the model of change and our focus for tomorrow’s post.
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