The power of habit 2/52

Redesign your life so that the actions that matter most are also the actions that are easiest to do

Week 2: The power of habits (good and bad) 

From drinking more water or drinking less alcohol, the use of habits can transform our lives. Eliminating bad habits like quitting smoking or starting a good habit like meditation, can help us thrive in positive ways. Often when I want to create a new good habit or end a bad one I will challenge myself for 30 days, testing for a good fit. While it is easier to track new habits in a new month, change can begin anytime. On December 1, 2020,  after a discussion on how much yoga helped us feel better, Anthony and I began our yoga challenge that is still going today.  

Habits are behaviors wired so deeply in our brains that we perform them automatically. But it is up to us to make the conscious decision about the changes in our lives, making our habits fit with who we want to become and eventually performed automatically. Simple changes like setting your alarm for 15 minutes earlier can be the jolt you need to add reading, journal writing or meditation to your mornings. Or if you are not a morning person, look for ways to incorporate change in your evening routine. Getting a buddy or joining a challenge can help motivate you to reaching your goal. 

The story of Jerry Seinfeld is always a motivating reminder, the link for the full story is here.  Jerry shares how he created his habit, marking a red X on the calendar each day after he wrote three jokes. Soon those marks on the calendar created the chain he did not want to break. This became his habit to becoming the comedian we know and love today and his suggestion to anyone who asks him how to get started.  

Many habits will not yield immediate results, this is where your “why” becomes important. Here it is up to you to find your focus and follow thru. Many agree change start small and we build momentum with each tiny victory. From drinking more water to taking more steps, we transform our view of who we are. In that process, we discover trust in our choices and see the benefits the new habit brings. As this rhythm is revealed, you build the confidence to go further. As walking helps you feel better, you seek new ways of change and move towards the next good habit.

The first step is deciding tomorrow will be different and keep showing up...