You made a decision and you swore you’ll be persistent but somehow that healthy habit just wouldn’t stick? Most of us tried and most of us failed. Creating healthy habits takes repetition, a lot of focus and planning but you can do it and you can definitely keep them in the long run.
So what should you do exactly? First of all, try not to wait for the “Aha” moment – there’s no perfect timing and you’ll probably never feel fully prepared. But there are some techniques that might drastically improve your progress. Ready? Let’s start anyways.
1. Hack your brain
It’s time to be a manipulative go-getter! And no, that’s not a bad thing.
Now, let’s talk about that evil premise: Usually, you just think about action – about meditating, eating healthier food or exercising regularly. But the truth is that creating healthy habits starts in your mind and you have complete control of it.
Try to visualize your desired outcome in order to rewrite the software of the mind. You can achieve that by fulfilling a healing plan that will encourage your good choices. These internal pep talks might drastically improve your progress! For example, envision yourself learning a new skill, instead of lying on the couch – that area of your brain will gradually grow stronger.
2. The science of change
Have you read the best-seller “The Power Of Habit” by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Charles Duhigg? He created a system which breaks habits into three actions:
– A cue: the trigger that reminds you to perform a habit
– A routine: the action you do automatically
– A reward: the payoff you feel you get
So, let’s say that you are trying to eat healthier food. You’ll need a cue and the cue will be chopping the vegetables the night before and leaving a food container at a visible place. Then you need to figure out the reward which will help you rewire your brain to feel good about the habit.
2. Baby steps are fine, Mom.
Feel free to use that sentence every time someone (even if it’s just your inner voice) start’s building pressure around you and your goals.
There will be days when you feel energetic and ready to conquer the world. But there will also be days when you feel beaten and tired. And that’s why you should really appreciate your baby steps!
If you are trying to be more physically active you should probably start with a 10-minute speed walk three times a week. It might sound super easy but that’s the catch – over time you’ll start enjoying the benefits and you won’t perceive it as a struggle. That’s where the magic happens!
3. Look for patterns
No one knows you like you do, right?
Try asking yourself what caused you to get off track. Then ask yourself what helped you succeed. Got it?
Ok. Now, reward yourself each time you make a good decision and don’t beat yourself up if things don’t go well – they will. You just need to figure out what needs to be in place for you to make healthy choices.
And please don’t quit just because you failed or you missed a day. It’s just not that relevant in the long run. It’s not.
4. Creating healthy habits should feel empowering
But it’s a drag? No wonder those healthy habits won’t stick! Everybody has their own path and it shouldn’t be generic. For example, tai-chi classes might not be a good choice if you feel like your body is going to implode because of anger or stress. Try a boxing class or a HIIT cardio workout.
You get the point – all those healthy activities should fit your personality and they should definitely excite you.
Designing your life around the things you love will make creating healthy habits a lot easier.
Let us know in the comments what helped you stick to your healthy habits!
