You're "So Self-Aware." So Why Can't You Change? | Being Well

Dr. Rick and I continue last week’s conversation on avoidance coping, this time focusing on how to move from insight into meaningful action. We explore why self-awareness often isn’t enough to create change, focusing on common impediments like ambivalence, shame, and the difficulty of seeing our patterns in real time. We then unpack the practical science of change: surfacing predictions behind avoidance, testing them through right-sized experiments, and fully internalizing the outcomes. Other topics include scaffolding, state-dependent learning, the HEAL process, and what to do when the dreaded experience actually happens. Key Topics: 0:00 Intro: why awareness isn't enough 5:01 Ambivalence to change 14:06 Other impediments to change 22:18 How to want to change 29:28 Creating predictions 33:17 Setting up an effective experiment 44:32 Linking new outcomes to old memories 1:02:33 Recap Sponsors: Take our audience survey: https://rickhanson.com/survey/ For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code BEINGWELL at https://oneskin.co/BEINGWELL.  I'm not a clinician, and what I say on this channel should not be taken as medical advice. Subscribe to Being Well on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5d87ZU1... Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (https://amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (https://apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth. Subscribe to Rick on YouTube:    / @rickhanson   Get Rick's Free Newsletters: https://rickhanson.com/writings/newsl... Follow Rick Here: 🌍 https://rickhanson.com/ 📸   / rickhansonphd   You can follow me here: 🎤 https://apple.co/38ufGG0 🌍 https://www.forresthanson.com 📸   / f.hanson