Who Says All Habits Are Bad?!

Let’s swap out the oldies for the goodies!

When we think of the idea of habits, it almost always means something negative. "Bad habits" is a phrase we're all familiar with, and it means we consistently do something that's not that good for us. Drinking too much is a bad habit. Not getting enough sleep is a bad habit. Junk food is a bad habit. Smoking, of course, is the classic bad habit. But here's the thing -- habits can also be good! You can train yourself to get hooked on positive behaviors -- it's just about repetition and consistency. The things you do again and again become part of who you are! Let's put some thought into creating those "good habits" that keep us looking, feeling and being our best!

Calm Mind

I'd like us to think of a calm mind as one that is present and self-aware. We do a lot of work paying attention to what's around us. This coming week, let's pay attention to ourselves! Start to notice the small patterns of behavior you have created every day. Do you finish every meal with dessert? Do you turn on the television and flop on the couch as soon as you get home? Do you hit the snooze button two or three times every morning? Those might be opportunities to incorporate small changes that lead to healthier behavior! Maybe dessert becomes a "weekends only" thing. Maybe when you get home, you get a quick workout in before couch and TV time. Maybe you limit yourself to one push of the snooze button before you're up to start your day! Tune in to the patterns you are creating and see what modifications you can make!

Healthy Body

Something I’ve discussed with my clients many times is how lasting change almost always starts small. For many, regular exercise has been a new thing -- but we are committed to getting in shape, so we do our best to stick to our scheduled workouts. We can also set ourselves up for success with little changes and incentives. Set a glass of water on your nightstand before you go to bed. When you wake up, you're ready to re-hydrate, which is a great way to start the day! In the same sense, think about small adjustments in your daily routine that add up to more movement. Parking further away from a store, or taking the stairs instead of an elevator, for example. For some extra fun you can add in a partner challenge to hold yourself accountable. Me and my hubby just added in 10 push-ups a day! These little, conscious changes soon become habits that then just become the way you do things!

Strong Spirit

Building positive habits is simple, but that doesn't mean it's easy. It usually takes anywhere from two weeks to a couple months for a behavior (good OR bad) to become a habit, so when you are trying to introduce a positive change, you need to be patient with yourself. Tap in to your ability to self-motivate, promising yourself you'll practice that new, better behavior every day. It won't be long, I promise, before you're doing it without having to fight any kind of internal battle to make it happen. You'll realize you did it without an ounce of struggle or self-doubt. That's when your new behavior has become a positive habit, which means it's now just who you are and what you do! Practice is what makes it possible, so stay strong in your commitment, trust your spirit, and take satisfaction when those positive changes become permanent! 

Stay Focused

Take some time to honestly identify a good habit you want to build, working toward a goal you really want to achieve. Getting to the top of the mountain is intimidating if you try and look up at the peak, but if you concentrate on the climb itself, you know you'll get there.

What small steps can you start to take today? Where do you see yourself in a few months, or in a year? Now, prioritize time in your daily schedule that you can dedicate to even a little effort working toward that goal. Pro tip: Be sure to think about what times during the day are going to set you up best for success! Don't wait until the end of the day! Don't think, "I'll work on this in my spare time." Instead, make it a priority; even if it's just a few minutes at first, that's going to put you on the path to reaching that peak!

P.S. Here’s a link to printable 30-day habit trackers. There’s tons of options and apps out there to help keep you on track:) Let’s go! https://worldofprintables.com/habit-tracker-pdf/