When you know something needs to change—but don’t know where to start

Cross that bridge from awareness to action

You have been turning something over in your mind. Perhaps a conversation has unsettled you, a decision keeps getting postponed, or the same difficulty seems to return every few days.

You know you would like things to be different. What you don’t know is what to do next.

This is one of the situations I designed Awareness to Action to help with. Now available on iPhone, the app brings together responsive coaching, private journalling and guided practices to help you move from thinking about a difficulty towards choosing a manageable action.

You don’t need to arrive with everything worked out

Sometimes the hardest part is explaining what is happening. Your thoughts might be muddled, contradictory or unfinished.

With Just Talk, you can type or speak in your own words. You don’t need to prepare a polished account or know which coaching tool to choose. If you are unsure where to begin, Suggest a coaching tool can help you find a starting point.

The aim is a conversation that responds to what you say—not a fixed questionnaire that marches through questions whether they fit your situation or not. You can clarify a misunderstanding, add something important or explain that a suggestion doesn’t feel right.

What might that look like?

Imagine that you keep agreeing to requests when you are already stretched. Afterwards, you feel frustrated with yourself and resentful towards the person who asked.

“Set better boundaries” might be sensible advice, but it isn’t necessarily enough. What makes saying no difficult? Are you worried about disappointing someone? Do you agree before giving yourself time to think? What would feel possible in this particular relationship?

Exploring those details can make the next step more useful. Instead of deciding to become “better at boundaries”, you might choose something smaller:

The next time someone asks me to take something on, I will say, “Let me check what I can manage and come back to you.”

That is a concrete action you can try. It doesn’t require you to change everything overnight.

Describe, choose, try, review

Four words sum up the approach: describe, choose, try, review. Describe what is happening in your own words. Choose one manageable action. Try it in everyday life. Then return to reflect on what happened—what helped, what didn’t, and what you might do differently. The point is not to keep talking indefinitely, but to find something useful you can take back into your life.

Reflection has a place, too

Not every moment calls for immediate action. The private journal gives you somewhere to put your thoughts, while guided meditations and music by Abøn offer an optional pause.

The important thing is that reflection serves your life, rather than becoming another task you feel obliged to complete.

I created Awareness to Action to offer a practical starting point when you want support thinking something through. It is a coaching and reflection tool—not therapy, a diagnosis or emergency support.

If you would like to explore it, the app is available on iPhone, with a seven-day free trial for eligible new monthly or annual subscribers. Full access requires a subscription or a one-off lifetime purchase. Subscriptions renew after the trial unless cancelled before it ends; your store shows the price and conditions before purchase.

Explore Awareness to Action and watch the short demonstration →

Dr Nicholas Jenner

Dr Nicholas Jenner, a therapist, coach and speaker, has over 20 years of experience in therapy and coaching. His speciality lies in working with codependency. His approach includes Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, exploring people’s internal “parts” and emotional states to help them understand their patterns and work towards healthier relationships and emotional independence. He is the writer behind The Online Therapist and the creator of Awareness to Action.