Avoid the Snakes and use the Ladders

I was playing that classic children's board game the other day with my 6 year old daughter, Snakes and Ladders and it got me thinking. The game was designed back in the Medieval times to teach children about the highs and lows of life and enjoy the good times but be prepared that life can take unexpected turns and one should have the patience and perseverance to carry on regardless when it happens. So this is similar when people start a new healthy routine, whether that's starting to exercise, give up smoking or go on a diet. They start off so well and start moving along nicely, going up those ladders of life and starting to feel better for it than bam- something happens, they get ill, a family crisis occurs, have that cigarette after a few too many or have that greasy burger and chips and they go down that snake of life. But unfortunately too many people believe once they 'fall off the wagon' that's it and they give up. The different stages of change that a person goes through from before starting a new behaviour and finally doing it without even being aware of it is called The Stages of Change Model. The 6 stages of change are not being aware you need to change, being aware of the need to change, preparing to change, the action of change, then maintenance of that change and finally Termination, where the person has gotten into such a habit that they do the behaviour without thinking, it becomes natural for them. The other component that completes this model but is shown outside of these stages is relapse. Relapse can occur during any stage of these changes but should never be seen as the final stage. It should be seen as a snake and after you go down it you should dust yourself down and go find another ladder and get back up again. A person only truly fails if they finally give up, so before giving up for good, think about the game of Snakes and Ladders and try using patience and perseverance and keep on going and never give up until you have achieved your goal and finish that game.