Anyone can change. 

But for most people, committing to change can be a daunting task. 

Where do I start? What should I do? How do I remain consistent? 

All of these are questions one may ask themselves when attempting to make healthy choices that lead to holistic change.

If you’re looking for a way to create lasting change in your life, allow me to introduce you to the best thing since sliced bread: the change snowball method. 

This method is an efficient way to approach implementing new life changes. It’s how I overcame my 7-year smoking addiction in a couple of months! And if it worked for me, it’ll work for you too. So, let’s get that snowball rolling! 

How Does the Change Snowball Method Work? 

The change snowball method or a “Commitment to Change” is when you commit to a small, realistic and manageable action for the week, aimed at fostering holistic growth. These practical, intentional steps—like daily prayer, reading, or adopting healthy habits—when practiced consistently, lead to healthy change cycles and  lasting personal transformation.

Here’s how the change snowball works:

STEP 1: Choose ONE realistic, attainable action to commit to for each of these 4 areas of your life: physical, emotional, spiritual, and social (see sample list).

STEP 2: List your commitments in order from easiest to most challenging (in your opinion). 

STEP 3: Start intentionally taking action with your easiest commitment for the first week.

STEP 4: Continue with your easiest commitment into week two and add the next-easiest commitment too.

STEP 5: Repeat every week until each commitment is completed and you've implemented each action into your daily life to maintain and build on!

As you knock out your commitments one by one, the amount of change you implement in your life grows—kind of like a snowball rolling down a hill (hence the name). And the excitement you get from being consistent with your smallest action will motivate you to keep plowing through your commitments.

Why Does the Change Snowball Method Work?

The change snowball works because it’s all about reshaping your approach and your mindset. Trust me, it’s not about what you do or how much you do it. Your ability to change has more to do with your mindset than any action you could ever take.

Belief is the currency of change. The small wins you get with this method helps you believe you can actually change for good. And when you believe it, you’ll start behaving like it. That’s how it worked for me. Once I saw how my smallest commitment changed my life (and how easy it was to implement), my hope for the future turned into optimism. I knew that change was possible and attainable. That’s the power of the change snowball.

An Example of the Change Snowball.

Now, let’s see an example of how this method works in real life. Here’s how it could look with these four commitments:

1. Physical: No phone or screen time 30 minutes to an hour before bed.
2. Spiritual: Spend 10 minutes daily praying in the morning.
3. Emotional: Journal your emotions for 10 minutes each day, reflecting on how you feel and why.
4. Social: Send an encouraging text or note to a friend or colleague daily.

You decide that the easiest commitment for you is the spiritual one—spending 10 minutes praying each morning. It’s something you already do occasionally, so it’s easy to incorporate. You set your alarm and start each day with prayer. By the end of the week, you feel more centered and motivated.

With your morning prayer now becoming a habit, you introduce your next easiest commitment: no screen time before bed. You replace phone time with reading or meditation, and by week’s end, your sleep improves, and morning prayer feels easier.

Now that your mornings and nights are structured in a more mindful way, it’s time to keep building into week three with your emotional commitment: journaling. You grab a notebook or open the notes app on your phone and write down how you’re feeling, what you experienced throughout the day, and why certain emotions came up. 

By week four, you’ve created a solid routine, and it’s time to focus on your social commitment: sending an encouraging note or text to a friend or colleague daily. At first, this feels slightly uncomfortable. However, as you see the positive responses from those you’ve contacted, you realize how meaningful these small acts of kindness can be and you start to feel more connected to the people in your life.

Do you see now why we love the change snowball? Implementing small changes into your life, building on those actions, and staying focused on your commitment—that’s how you create lasting change. And chances are, you’ll  probably get so motivated that you’ll snowball your way into a transformed life!

How to Stay Motivated Working the Change Snowball?

The change snowball method works. But let’s be real—it’s not always going to be a cakewalk. It’s going to take intentionality, sacrifice, accountability—and constantly reminding ourselves when we inevitably fall short to, “Be kind to yourself” (as my therapist would say).

The key to staying motivated while working this method is being real and honest with yourself. Personally, I can get overly excited and try to take on too much at once, which leads to burnout. The whole point of this method is to build momentum slowly. Start small, stay consistent, and let that energy carry you forward.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, start even smaller. Instead of making a commitment for all four areas of your life, focus on one commitment in one area. Pour your energy into that single action until it feels natural, then gradually add more. Remember, it’s not about doing everything at once—it’s about doing something consistently.

Just like the snowball gaining speed on its way down the hill, you have the momentum to create lasting change in your life.

You got this! 😉