5 Steps To Habits that Stick
Do you have goals for yourself, your health, your business, or even your family that you REALLY want to make happen. You already know what you want to do, you just want to make sure that this habit sticks.
How many times have you proclaimed today is the day you are going to start walking every day, or stop drinking coffee, or ditch the soda. Creating new healthy habits takes work. You didn't get to where you are today overnight, so making positive changes also takes time.
Many challenges can pop up when we are trying to create a new habit. Maybe you are trying to get up early and take a walk before work, but then you run into a week where you need to go into work early and that disrupts the new pattern you are trying to create. Do you go back to the walk when your schedule goes back to normal?
Or are you trying to cook more at home and eating less processed foods. Then you have a weekend where you are away and didnt get to spend time cooking for the week, so you have to rely on some pre-made meals instead.
Just because we took a break from the habit doesn’t mean we should dismiss all of our efforts. Even if you’ve experienced a lapse in your health routine, you can still get back into the swing of it before new (unhealthy) habits are formed.If you’ve lost your rhythm, or are just getting started, here are some key steps to creating new habits:
5 Simple Steps to Creating Healthy Habits
1. Check In on your WHY
Take a few minutes to reflect on WHY it was that you decided to make a change in the first place. Maybe you wanted to have more energy, or lose weight? Are there activities out there that you want to participate in but your health or shape are keeping you from them? Or maybe you wanted to find a diet that keeps a particular health challenge in check? If you've been meeting your personal goals, that's great! Congratulate yourself and use that as motivation to keep up your routine moving forward. And if you've been falling short of where you wanted to be: it's okay. Incorporating a new lifestyle can be difficult. Sometimes, life happens and things don't go exactly as planned. Give yourself credit for what you have accomplished, let go of regrets and move on. Every day is a chance to start over.
Your “why” is an important piece to putting yourself on track towards a new goal. Why do you want it? Why we are doing something that may feel hard is so critical that I created a journal page in my “How to Survive An Elimination Diet” book. So when we just don’t feel like taking that walk, or saying no to dessert, it helps to reflect on why we are making these changes.
2. Habit Stacking
What is something you already do every day? “Stacking” is where you attach your new habit to that activity you’ve already made part of your routine. This makes it much more likely that you will start incorporating your new habit to your daily life. You want this habit to become a regular practice to where you don’t even think about it anymore.
An example is that every morning I walk my dog. I want to drink more water, so I take a water bottle with me every morning and sip on it during our walk. That means I’ve now had 4 glasses of water to start my day. I don’t even think about it any more. That water bottle is part of my routine now.
Other Examples:
As you get ready for bed at night - lay out your gym clothes for the next morning before you get in bed, easier to get into them the next day
If you sit at a desk every day and you want to exercise more - every time you get up to go to the bathroom, add 10 squats before you sit down again
Making coffee in the morning - when you stand in front of the coffee maker, close your eyes and relax your shoulders, meditate for 5 minutes on how you want the day to go, take deep breaths.
3. Schedule Time Like you Mean In
If your new habit doesn’t get onto your calendar, then its likely not going to happen. This might be a monthly calendar or your daily schedule. Where can you write down when and where you are going to do this new habit. Even if its on a post it note on the bathroom mirror, or an entry at 2pm every day to go drink water. Write it down somewhere in your schedule.
Your daily schedule might have changed with a new work schedule, an extra packed social calendar, or even with the start of a new season, like sending kids back to school in the Fall. Review your new schedule, and see where you have free time here and now for things like exercise, batch cooking or finding new recipes. If your schedule is different than before, revise your strategy so that it works with where you are now.
4. Keep It Interesting - Add Fun or Entertainment
If you were able to stay on track with a specific regimen, but are starting to get tired of the repetition, try mixing things up! Take a new workout class or two to shake up your exercise regime, or visit your local smoothie bar to inspire a new creation in your own kitchen. If you use Pinterest, try browsing health and wellness boards for inspiration. I love tracking new and interesting recipes on my Pinterest page. It's a great source of fresh ideas and an easy way to document what you want to try next.
A woman I just met mentioned checking out the Eventbrite website to look for local events to get her out of the house. She found some really fun activities that were also free!
5. Be Proud! - Gratitude and Appreciation
Think about where you started this journey, and what inspired you to start in the first place. Even if you’re not as far along as you’d like, I’d bet you’re farther than you ever thought you’d be. So be proud! Take a moment feel some gratitude for what is working. Say it out loud, or write it in a journal. Appreciate the progress so far, and keep going, because creating a healthier life for yourself is one of the most rewarding journeys you can take.
When Habits Don’t Seem to be Sticking
It’s ok to Re-evaluate
What was your initial plan when you started? See which habits you’ve stuck with, and what parts of your routine aren’t working. You can always make changes to how you approach your goals, so take the time to reevaluate. If something about your current approach isn't working for you, don't stress about it - just get rid of it! After all the goal is to create a HEALTHY LIFESTYLE that fits YOU and your needs. If something isn't working, eliminate it and focus on finding alternatives that can meet your goals without clashing with your schedule or needs. Maybe this habit isn’t the one that going to come easy. Perhaps there’s another habit that by adding that one, the others will come along.
The power of accountability and support
Join a group, ask a friend, find support to get it done. Doing it alone might not be what works for you. Find someone you can be accountable to and who will share your desire to make positive changes and work on their habits along with you.
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