It's never too early to plan your summer story in Europe, with WestJet, from rolling country side to cobblestone streets. Begin your next chapter. Book your seat at WestJet.com or call your travel agent, WestJet, where your story takes off. This is Optimal Living Daily, Episode 1276, 7 Keys to Making Habits Stick by Melanie Schweder of ABrighterWild.com and I'm your narrator Justin Molick, reading your blogs every single day of the year to help you live a more meaningful life.
Today's article is from a brand-new author to the show, sort of, I know I've narrated Melanie's work before, but that's because she's guest posted on many different sites, but we got permission to narrate from hers ABrighterWild.com. She's a certified health coach, passionate about holistic methods, definitely check out ABrighterWild.com for more info. I have the site linked in this episode's description. And with that, let's hear our very first post from her site as we optimize your life.
7 Keys to Making Habits Stick by Melanie Schweder of ABrighterWild.com Hello, dear friends. Have you ever started a new diet or exercise program, only to slide back into your old routine a few days or weeks later? What about when you want to try a new medication or supplement? Do you find yourself forgetting to take them?
You're definitely not alone. The challenge of creating new healthy habits is something that's just part of the human condition. We all understand the struggle of trying to get out of the rut and do something new. You see, our brains are hardwired for routine, and in general, we tend to stick with things that are either the least amount of effort or give us the highest amount of benefit.
But the benefits I'm talking about are the biological short-term ones, which is why it feels so dang good to eat pizza and stay in sweatpants all day. Science. However, if you're like me, you're always looking for ways that you can take better care of yourself and really boost your healing to the next level. Self-improvement is a popular goal these days, but it really is a way of life for anyone dealing with chronic health issues.
The thing is, I know that my body has the ability to heal itself. The only problem is in shifting out the bad habits that hinder that healing and replace those with more positive habits that enhance it. And trust me, I've certainly got a handful of not-so-great habits I'm still working on changing. But all in all, I've been able to create and solidify a lot of wonderful routines over the years, which I credit for a lot in my healing and sanity.
For each and every one of these positive changes, I relied on these seven keys to make them stick. Number one, find your why. Too often, we fly into a new routine without ever clarifying why we are actually doing the things we're doing. But those who take the time to slow down, visualize their goals, and set intentions are much more likely to be successful in changing habits.
When you think about what you want to change, find the motivation behind it and put it into words. Do you want to do this so you can be a better parent to your kids? Do you want to have better calm and clarity of mind? Do you want to better support your immune system?
Setting an intention for any new habit puts power behind your behavior and provides an anchor when you feel tempted to go back to your old ways. Number two, know your triggers. When it comes to our neural pathways, we tend to be reactive to both our inner and outer environments. Most of us have a specified reaction to certain stimuli, which we call triggers, especially when the result is something undesirable.
We may not even be aware of many of our triggers, but there are always clues to follow. When you can really tap in and apply some mindfulness, you might discover that your urge to eat donuts always follows a stressful interaction with another person, or that you tend to skip your yoga class when the weather is bad. Identifying the circumstances that lead to the habitual behavior you want to change is the best place to start because you can learn to anticipate and plan for these events. Number three, plan ahead.
It's always smart to have a plan be in place, especially since we humans are so good at coming up with excuses for why we can't change our bad habits. Take a few minutes to devise a strategy to stay on track, whether that's buying healthy bulk, keeping your gym clothes in your car, or stashing extra bottle of fresh water in your bag. If you struggle with taking meds, keep an extra pill case in your purse, or if you find yourself slipping with your meditation practice, get an extra set of headphones and set a timer on your phone to remind you when it's time to pop them in. When you can look forward and make it easier to stick to your new routine, you'll not only have more success, but you'll feel better about yourself, too.
Number four, recruit a buddy. Yes, accountability actually does work, and luckily nowadays, there are so many diverse options for hooking up with people who want to make new habits just like you. If you don't have a friend nearby that wants to take on the same diet or go to sleep at the same time, you can always find a great online community to help you. There are forums, private Facebook groups, Instagram communities, and online memberships of all kinds where you can connect.
And, of course, there are in-person meet-up groups and clubs dedicated to supporting each other's health goals. There are also plenty of health coaches like me ready to keep you on track. No matter what you are looking to shift in your life, you should have someone on your side to help you along. Number five, track your progress.
Our brains have a sneaky little way of forgetting how far we've come over time and adjusting our expectations to meet our new reality. Sadly, this can make us feel discouraged when we can't remember how things used to be. It's amazingly handy to keep track of all the great changes you're making so you can look back and give yourself a well-deserved high-five now and then. You can go old school with a paper journal and pen, or you can use a digital diary, a tech link to app on your phone, a computer program, or something else.
There are so many options, especially when it comes to apps that have tracking built-in, so it's merely a matter of finding them and using them. You'll thank yourself when you can really see how awesome you're doing. Number six, go slowly. I admit, I struggle with trying to take on too many changes at once and then failing miserably at all of them.
It's important to set realistic goals and only focus on trying to shift one thing at a time. Let's face it, change is hard. Don't make it harder on yourself by overwhelming your mind and body with the bazillion new things. You won't actually be able to banish all of your bad habits in a few weeks no matter what your impatience says.
If you want to make lasting change for the better and support yourself for a healthy lifestyle shift, go slowly. Identify one bad habit that'll be relatively easy to change to give yourself a boost of confidence, then tackle a harder, higher priority habit next. Number seven, reward yourself. You can go ahead and skip the your new behavior should be a reward in and of itself, blah blah, and plan to reward yourself when you've reached certain goals.
Our mind's crave rewards, so it's a good idea to throw yourself a little something in order to reinforce your new healthy behaviors. Keep in mind, though, that the best rewards are the ones that don't undermine your progress, like treating yourself to cake to celebrate a week free from refined sugar, and the ones that have lasting value like indulging in meaningful experience rather than a cheap trinket. Find the rewards that resonate with you and work those into your habit creation. When you give yourself little things to look forward to, you're more likely to maintain enthusiasm and stay on track until your new habit becomes a regular routine.
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And head to superpower.com and use code old at checkout for an additional $20 off your membership. So come by Melanie's site, and thank you to her for giving me permission to marry her articles. That'll do it for today, have a great day, a great weekend if you're listening in real time, and I'll see you tomorrow, where your optimal life awaits. Hey, this is Dan from the Optimal Finance Daily Podcast, which is a lot like this show, except more focused on personal finance.
Justin handpicks the best posts he can find from blogs and authors like Ramit Sadie, Mr. Money Moustache, and more, and I read them to you five days a week. So if you enjoy this podcast, come on over and subscribe to Optimal Finance Daily, too. And together, we'll optimize your financial life.