Building New Habits: 5 tips to make it happen
“Your vision of where or who you want to be is the greatest asset you have. Without having a goal it’s difficult to score.” — Paul Arden
We all know motivation comes and goes, but Habits stay. Let's focus on adding positive habits to the day-to-day for a healthier lifestyle.
Focus on the following 5 tips to help build habits when the motivation fades.
Imagine the future self achieving those resolutions/making those new habits
To make that wish a reality, I invite you to take a few minutes to visualize your future ‘better” self. This exercise will help you build that image of you achieving that goal, feeling how you want to feel, and doing what you want to do. For the next few days in the AM and before going to sleep, go back to that image. Make it more clear and notice what changes you feel you need to make to be that better you. Listen to your mind.
Research has found that envisioning possibilities of future events actually increases the likelihood that those events will occur. Mental imagery has been shown to enhance athletic performance, improve impulsivity, reduce relapse rates among alcoholics, enhance motivational and emotional involvement, and initiate planning and problem-solving solutions.
Let’s do the exercise now: Let me Guide you🎯
To begin, take a few deep breaths
Close your eyes and think about a goal that you want to accomplish this year, visualize it!
Now, imagine yourself going forward in time, into the future…going forward one week, two weeks, three weeks
Now, using your imagination, continue going forward in time. Until you are 6 months into the future. You are significantly closer to achieving your goal. You are starting to feel the benefits of your efforts. Imagine What is like?
How does it feel to be much closer to your goal?
Allow yourself to notice any feelings or emotions tied to this moment.
Now, I would like you to continue going forward in time until you reach one year from now. Here, you have fully accomplished your goal. You have achieved success!!
✨Visualize yourself in your mind.
Where are you? And what are you doing?
Who are you with, if anyone?
What are people saying to you?
And what are you saying to them?
And how does reaching your goal feel? What emotions are tied to this achievement?
Perhaps you are feeling pride, joy satisfaction
Now, I would like you to go back on your journey.
Look back on the process of achieving this goal. Look back on all the hard work, and effort and consider how you reach your goal. Step by step.
What were the little things you did, day by day to achieve success?
What did you do at work?
What did you do in your relationships?
And what did you do internally to achieve success?
How did you manage difficult thoughts and emotional obstacles?
What coping strategies did you use?
Are there any insights that you can use to live closer to your goals?
2. Get organized! Create a Plan and be specific about it.
Essential planning and flexibility will help you stick to your new program no matter how crazy life gets. Start with small easy steps/activities that are realistic and therefore achievable. If you find that your plan looks amazing on your calendar but you couldn't execute it, take a look at your current habits. Reviewing your current behaviors will help you create more awareness and establish changes that will support your new goals.
For example, if you plan your workout in the AM but you just can't wake up, review your previous day. By restructuring your sleeping routine, you might be able to sleep better and wake up early for your workout.
When creating your plan ensure you create a SMART plan
Specific (simple, sensible, significant).
Measurable (meaningful, motivating).
Achievable (agreed, attainable).
Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based).
Time-bound (time-based, time-limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive).
READ MORE
3. Make it invisible - Remove what doesn’t support your goals
Dont rely on your willpower. Remove things that distract you from your goals.
For example:
Clean your pantry and have healthy snacks, fresh fruit, and cut veggies whenever you need a snack.
Designate an area of your pantry for the other family members that have food that doesn’t adhere to your eating objectives.
Resist buying snacks/food that you tend to overeat. Like cookies, bread, or chips.
Instead of using your leisure time going to restaurants or watching Netflix, find ways to make healthy easy choices by exploring new activities such as visiting a museum or gallery, bike routes, and parks, and cooking a healthy recipe together.
By Making the old habits invisible, you will enjoy new activities and feel amazing while building new habits.
When Motivation fades, discipline remains.
4. Ask for support
Yes, it's OK to ask for help. You dont have to do it alone. Life can get really busy, and at times overwhelming. Doing something new could be hard for your ego but it will support your progress. So, sign up for a fitness class, Personal Training, and/or get a Coach that keeps you accountable and focused when motivation fades.
5. Track your progress
I’m not talking about weighing yourself every week. I’m talking about tracking the activities that help you achieve your goal. Tracking will help you create more awareness of the things that are working for you and not working for you. You can adjust your activities and continue your progress.
Here is a tracker that I use from Atomic Habits by James Clear.
Use the above powerful and very useful tools to help you move your wish to intention and then to positive action. Also, when you feel you need to reset or you are not seeing any changes, go back and revisit the 5 tools.
Imagine you can do it
Plan SMART
Remove Distraction
Accountability - ask for support
Track your progress
