Debunking Habit Change in 3 Simple Steps
February is just around the corner and I’ve been doing a deep dive on what makes so many of us often fall off on lofty New Year's Resolutions SO FREAKING FAST. Research shows that somewhere between 81 percent and 92 percent of New Year's Resolutions fail. Meaning - at least 8 times out of 10, you are more likely to fall back into your old habits and patterns than you are to stick with a new behavior. Why in the world can lasting change feel so hard at times? As I work through my own progress this year, these three points have become my North Star(s) on days when motivation fails me and I need to pull on commitment.
REVISIT YOUR WHY DAILY
What was the true driving force of the goal you set? I have an ongoing list in my NOTES iPhone app that I look at daily. The list has my initial reason, and I constantly look for MORE reasons why I am doing what I am doing. Having many reasons helps the brain in moments of decision making.
OUR RESULT IS MADE UP OF MANY SMALL CHOICES OVER TIME
Missing one workout, or having wine this one time even though we decided ahead of time not to, TECHNICALLY will not move the needle one way or another. But what DOES happen is I now we longer trust ourselves as much. We let go of some of the “no matter what” determination we have when setting the goal. Over time, this matters greatly. Change happens NOW. In the MOMENT. Small decisions add up.
FOCUS ON TODAY MORE THAN THE END GOAL
Part of setting goals is attaching a timeline to when you aim to have your desired result. It helps set up the framework of change. But, if we focus too much on how things will be in 12 weeks, we miss the mark of enjoying the journey. We miss feeling great TODAY.
In the end, how we think we will FEEL when reaching our goals is one of the biggest reasons we want what we don’t have. Start practicing feeling that way NOW. Ask yourself - What can I do TODAY to feel how I will feel when I “get there”? Creating change is a daily practice, and when we postpone dealing with thoughts and feelings through the journey, chances are… When we reach our goal THE WIN can feel short lived. Set the Goal. Get to Work. Celebrate Small Wins. Adjust as needed & respect yourself along the way vs. negative self talk for not having reached your goal yet . XO, Camilla
