Episode 5 The Practice of Staying on Track

Understanding the Maintenance Stage of Change

In today’s episode we continue exploring the Stages of Change model developed by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente.

This episode explores the maintenance stage, the stage where change is sustained and gradually integrated into everyday life.

Maintenance is often misunderstood as the point where things become easy, but in reality it is an ongoing practice of continuing to show up for yourself long after the excitement of change fades.

In this episode we explore:

Why maintenance is an active and ongoing stage of change
The myth of “arriving” in healing and recovery
Why peace and stability can sometimes feel unfamiliar
Learning how to live without old coping mechanisms
Nervous system regulation and sustainable healing
Identity shifts and building long-term self trust
Romanticising old behaviours and coping strategies
Social pressure, relationships, and changing environments
Why maintenance is about consistency, not perfection
Daily practices that help support long-term change

We also talk about how maintenance is less about becoming perfect and more about learning how to remain connected to yourself through all seasons of being human.

This episode is an invitation to explore what it means to build a life you no longer need to constantly escape from.

Journal Prompts & Reflection

What practices genuinely help me stay connected to myself?
What environments or relationships make it harder to maintain the changes I’ve made?
Where am I romanticising old coping mechanisms instead of remembering the full picture?
What does support look like for me in this season of life?
Am I expecting myself to never struggle instead of learning how to support myself through struggle?
What would it look like to build a life I don’t constantly need to escape from?

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