When we want to work towards a particular goal, we let go of habits that no longer serve us and adopt new ones.
Simple right?
Here’s an early example:
You’d like to reduce sugar from your diet so you decide to wane off that mid-afternoon slump by swapping your tea and biscuits for a fruit tea with a handful of cashews instead?
Yes?
But you and I know that SIMPLE does not necessarily mean EASY
The IMPLEMENTATION part of things when put into practice it needs
commitment
discipline
consistency
to make the plan work long-term.
Most of the time we don’t have a problem in adopting a new HABIT. But somehow, someway we find that it can all get very tricky very soon.
The novelty and motivation wear off pretty quickly at times, doesn’t it?
And most of us struggle to it keep going far enough for it to STICK forever.
Imagine if it did, like cutting out the sugar
Or going to the gym more often
Or Doing an online workout first thing in the morning
Adding more greens to your meals
etc
The BOTTOM LINE is if you just let it be a thought, a DECISION, and then relied on MOTIVATION
then that’s not enough.
But
So we need to bring some tools into the mix and lots and lots of ACTION!
~~~~~~~~
SO LET ME ASK
When was the last time you PROMISED yourself you would stick to a new habit?
and did it work? Did you stick with it?
Or perhaps something got in the way?
What is your usual barrier or “thing” that gets in the way when working towards your habits / goals?
Perhaps you found that the process changed as you went along only to find that you were pushed into to something else? Another direction?
REMEMBER the cutting out the biscuits and tea? – you could swap to fruit tea and some cashews.
But this would need to be drilled down more:
FOR EXAMPLE
It starts the Night before:
1. Get your little Tupperware and place your cashews inside together with a couple of fruit tea bags
2. Place Tupperware next to your house or car keys so you don’t risk leaving behind
3. Repeat every evening
4. Ensure you add these items to your weekly shopping list when running low.
Of course, it doesn’t have to be fruit teas and cashews every day! You can prepare a green smoothie whilst you’re doing your breakfast – if your goal is to add more veggies to your day and you’re also suffering the mid-afternoon slump
that is killing 2 birds with one stone already!
SO ARE YOU READY TO ADOPT A NEW HABIT AND STICK WITH IT?
Let's stop living another 3 months with that “WANT” in your head that will just come back 10 fold and hit you like a ton of bricks.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE ACTION
ACTION ACTION ACTION!
1. HABIT DECISION PROCESS
Establish the habit you wish to adopt / your new goal.
More often than not we are GOING IN TOO VAGUE!
So example: I’d like to get stronger with my push-ups or faster with my walking or running
OK
1. When, where, how?
-When will you do the push-ups
-Where will you do them
-and How will you do them?
I’m digging down this far BECAUSE I had to!
MY HABIT STORY:
Back when I was STUCK and needed to go back to basics I had to do a LOT of digging.
I followed other coaches, read some books, researched, and took some courses.
These are just some of the things I used:
1. James Clear from Atomic Habits
2. Mel Robbins with her 5-second rules and high 5 habits!
3. I’ve also read parts of The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
And I made it my own! ALWAYS do the research, listen to the gurus, and then MAKE IT YOUR OWN otherwise it won’t work if it's not yours.
It needs to resonate!
I had to set timers and put my phone elsewhere to avoid disruptions and distractions.
I had to stop the snooze button and be very methodically CLEAR about what was coming next.
I used the 54321 GUDZILLIONS of times a day whenever an emotion or sabotage moment or that voice in my head was saying “its not worth this hard work, you weren’t that bad off in the first place, leave it you’ve got this!”
The voices can be soooooo sneaky!
I had to revisit the WHYS – why was I doing this, “ah yes Natalie, you really really wanted this KEEP GOING”.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
so let's break it down
You’re reading this because you are SERIOUS about building a NEW HABIT, yes?
So let me help you, I can help you! Find your WAY of sticking to YOUR GOALS
So we’ve already talked about Habit VAGUENESS. It needs to be VERY CLEAR
-when
-where
-how
remember?
FREQUENCY OVER TIME
Studies as James Clear author of Atomic Habits says….
Is not how MUCH time you spend doing it but more how MANY times you do it.
So repeat, repeat and repeat and then repeat some more.
Also
VISUAL CUES + Sabotage!
Is your new habit being constantly sabotaged?
You want to break the sugar habit but there are biscuit tins and vending machines all over the office, and let's not talk about birthday cakes and Friday pizzas lol!!!!
HABIT STACKING
This was a game-changer for me.
I wanted to get a pain-free back so I decided to:
-Wake Up
-No snoozing
-Go to the bathroom
-Just after brushing my teeth I’d head down to my mat (laid out the night before) and do 5 mins core and stretch
I knew if in my mind I’d say I’m going to do 25mins pilates daily
That it would NEVER happen!
So the habit of stacking AND mini goaling it was a great way to ensure I ticked it off at the end of the day.
HABIT SHEETS
Habit sheets or apps or schedules…. If you are data-driven then go ahead – you’ll love all the planners out there!
However, I am old school!
MY GO-TO WHEN FORMING A NEW HABIT
ME PERSONALLY
I used a copy of my calendar, a pen, and a highlighter! That’s it!
I wrote down my new habit EVERY SINGLE DAY and highlighted it EVERY TIME
So……….
SIMPLE = CAN MEAN EASY
Maybe?
But you need to DIG DOWN
Peel the onion layers
and find out the way it will work for YOU x
Most important of all?
Give yourself GRACE – Habits TAKE TIME!
Hope this has helped some of you today!!!
Love
Natalie xxxx
DM Me or Email Me and let me know what your Habit Hack is!
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