How to Create Habits You’ll Actually Stick With
I think most people would agree habits are the key to getting where you want to be. Whether it’s with your health, or your business, or your family… habits are the building blocks.
But if you’re like most people, creating habits that you can actually stick with is the hard part.
I’ve kinda become an expert on creating habits that stick. I’ve been consistently exercising, eating relatively healthy, waking up early and doing a morning routine ever since I became an adult. I’ve been putting out a podcast episode every week since October of 2019… so at the time I’m putting this out, that’s over 3 years.
But I’m not special or different or have some unique skill that’s different to you. I’ve just learned what it takes to be consistent. And let me just say, it’s easier than I think you’re probably making it.
In this week’s podcast episode I’m sharing how I’ve been able to be consistent with the habits I want in my life, how I’ve helped dozens of women just like you do the same, and how you can as well.
Because getting to where you want to be with your health is really all about the habits you create.
So let’s talk about what gets in the way of being consistent with your habits and what to do to be consistent & create habits that you’ll actually STICK WITH…
1. Trying to be perfect.
They say “comparison is the thief of joy”… well, I say perfection is the thief of consistency. Here’s the truth, you’re not a perfect human. So, when you set out with a goal of creating a habit of something with the mentality that in order to be consistent you have to be perfect, you’ll fail.
But the good news is, perfection isn’t required to reach your goals and create some amazing habits.
Earlier this year I set a goal of doing 10 pushups every day. Have I done that perfectly. Absolutely not. But have I been consistent? Yes! Because I haven’t let the days I’ve forgotten get in the way of me continuing to do the pushups.
Letting go of perfection has been the reason I have kept showing up. Because, on the flip side, if I said I could never miss a day… when I DID miss a day, I’d feel like a failure, I’d think “what’s even the point of continuing to try”, and I’d give up.
And maybe that’s been your story as well.
So, you’ve got to let go of perfection. Embrace the fact that you will fail. You will miss a day. You will forget. And that’s OK!
2. Your mindset about the habit you’re wanting to create
Something I hear my clients share all the time is that they “need to do xyz thing”. How does that feel when you say “I NEED…” Not good, right?
I hate doing laundry. And yet, I need to do laundry for my family. Me saying “I need to do laundry” results in me finding all the other things I can do instead of the laundry and just pushing it off.
As opposed to this other thought… “I WANT…” How does that feel? So different, right?
Now, I’m not saying I just tell myself “I want to do laundry”. But, I think about my “why”… why do I want to do laundry? Because I want clean clothes for me and my family. And not only that, but I also make an effort to make it as enjoyable as possible.
So, if we were to keep going with the laundry example, I may watch a show while I do laundry so that at least I can look forward to watching a show. It’s a win-win… I get the laundry done AND I get to watch a show I love.
You can apply this same thing to whatever habit you want. Having a strong WHY is great and important. But, one of the best “tricks” to feeling more motivated is to turn what you’re doing from “I have to” to “I want to” and to do that, we just find a way to make whatever you want to do more enjoyable.
I had a client that was really struggling to feel motivated to exercise. So, what I had her do was first, choose something that she kinda liked and then make it fun. She ended up going for walks in her neighborhood while listening to an audiobook. Now, she actually looks forward to exercise because she enjoys it and it’s something she can tell herself that she wants to do.
3. Your mindset about yourself
I hear this all the time… “I’m just not athletic”, “I’m just not an early bird”, “I can’t help myself around dessert”.
What you tell yourself is what you create. If you’re telling yourself, consciously or unconsciously, that you’re not athletic, it’s not going to be very motivating to exercise. If you’re telling yourself “I can’t help myself around dessert” that’s what will happen.
So, look out for those sneaky beliefs and thoughts about yourself.
4. And lastly, we need a plan.
If you’re trying to create a habit and you don’t have a plan to do so, you’re not going to do it.
But, we need to keep in mind all of what we just talked about, specifically, letting go of perfection with it.
You need to create a plan that also gives you room to be a normal human. And you need a plan that’s unique to your life and your season of life.
And you need to be willing for it to change. Because that’s life. Life’s always changing. The plan you have right now may not work in a couple months or in a year. So it’s just a matter of shifting it when that happens. Maybe right now exercising first thing in the morning works for you. Maybe a year from now, afternoons are better. Be willing to shift and change your plan.
Mindset + a plan that works for you and your unique life is the key to consistency.
This is a process I walk you through inside Stop Dieting Start Living. If you’d like my help and my accountability in creating habits you can stick with, you can learn more and join HERE.
Enjoy podcasts? Find and listen to this episode of the Redefining Health Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or Google.