None of us are perfect. We all have goals and ideals we would like to achieve, yet often we fall short. Sometimes we are able to shift ourselves so easily, while other times there are certain things that are just stuck. Why is it that sometimes we are able to do something like wake up earlier everyday but not another goal like increasing our leafy greens? There are many reasons why we might feel stuck on certain goals so it is impossible to offer broad advice there, but we can offer broad advice on how to facilitate change in your life. We have found that in order to create meaningful change in your life you need to focus on three things: habits, strategies and self awareness. By utilizing these three things we can begin to create the life we hoped for instead of finding ourselves falling short.
Habits
Habits are easy. Once you have a habit you do things without thinking. Unfortunately, a lot of our habits are bad ones. Heading straight to the fridge for a snack when I get home, even when I'm coming home from dinner? Yep that is one of my ridiculous habits. Checking your phone every time you stop typing for a minute to think about something? Yep, that too. Not exactly great ones. But I also have created good ones. Running as soon as I wake up? Habit. Drinking a full glass of water before every meal? Also a good one. How you create habits you want is by utilizing the next two points. Our goal here is to create good habits, but to create them you need a strategy and self awareness. Once you have created your habit goals, making the habits are easy.
Why are we focusing on habits? Because habits are easy, yes, but also powerful. It is estimated that nearly forty percent of our day is repeated behavior, or habits. Meaning our habits are us, for better or for worse. Habits work on a cue and reward system. When we get the cue, our brain reacts for the reward. This is why habits are not part of willpower; they are part of rewiring the brain. The trick is to keep the cue and to give ourselves the old reward but to create a new routine in the in between. For example, if your habit to wake up is to have a cup of coffee, the cue is waking up, the routine is the coffee, and the reward is the jump of energy. Now if we want to change the coffee to a morning run we simply need to run instead of having the coffee. The adrenaline from the run will act as a way to wake up and maybe after we have a cup of decaf to continue with the flavor we enjoy in the morning. The trick is finding the reactions that will work in the habit cycles. This brings us to self awareness.
Self Awareness
You must know yourself and be honest here. If you are not a morning person, you don't have to be in order to be successful. Sure you can switch your habits and push, but if you don't get your energy till later in the day this likely will not change easily, if ever. The key here is to make an honest and critical self assessment. Ask yourself what you want to achieve and how you can go about it. If you want to exercise more for example, the solution is not only that you have to wake up early. Waking up with the birds does not make you a better person or a healthier person, it just makes you someone who wakes up early. If you get your energy later in the day, this is when you need to complete your workout. Look at your goals and look at yourself and be honest with what you are able to achieve.
Strategies
Once you know your habits you want to change, habits you want to create and know your own abilities, it is time to make a strategy. Do not try to create meaningful change in your life on a whim or you will likely be disappointed. Only you know the strategies that will work for you but once you are ready it is time to create a system of accountability. This can be done by increasing or decreasing ease of accessibility to a habit i.e. freezing credit cards in ice for example or putting high protein snacks in your car and bag. Also giving yourself rewards and realizing when you are rationalizing or working under false assumptions. Usually we need several strategies to change one habit. It is also important to remember that success comes usually after several failures. One failure isn't permanent unless you never try again. Once you achieve a goal and create a habit, it isn't a permanent thing either. Wellness is dynamic and moves with your life. There will be good days and bad days, the success comes with longevity. Remember it is 66 days to solidify a new habit so that is at least 66 days of ups and downs before you start feeling a sense of permanence.
How do you create habits? Have you had success in breaking a bad habit or starting a good one? We would love to hear your story or questions at info@bullionite.com.