The author James Clear in his book Atomic Habits states, “Success is the product of daily habits—not once-in-a-lifetime transformations.”
This could not be more true when it comes to your health. So many times people think you can change your health in a 30-day diet or new exercise routine that you stick to for a few weeks. But the thing is, your long-term wellness will never come from a short-term commitment.
It’s what you do daily that matters the most. Because when you’re looking to have good health for the long-term, it will only happen when you create intentional habits that fuel that agenda.
Daily habits are really the only way to achieve a healthy body and also keep it that way. So when you’re doing something positive for your health, ask yourself this: is this something I can do daily for the rest of my life? Lemon water isn’t effective if you do it once in a while. Green smoothies won’t change your health if you drink them once a week. Will it be good for you? Yes of course. Will it actually make a difference in your long-term health? Probably not. Habits are about repetition. But how can you make them stick?
So in order to create habits that stick, your habits have to be tied into your identity. Think about it this way: you don’t just eat healthy, you’re a healthy eater. You don’t just cook healthy meals, you’re a healthy cook. Once you start believing you are the person who has healthy habits, they will stick.
But oftentimes we get into the mindset of “I’m not good at X,Y,Z.” We have a narrative about ourselves that we were told or believed that probably isn’t even true. Like “I’m a forgetful person” or “I’m not a runner” or “I’m not good at sticking to routines” “I don’t like restricting myself”.
Habits aren’t restricting. They’re empowering. They give you more freedom than living minute to minute flailing around because when your habits become mastered you do them without even thinking or actively trying very hard, it’s just what you do. This gives you so much mental freedom. James Clear states in his book Atomic Habits again that, “building habits in the present gives you freedom in the future.” I could not agree more with that statement. I see it first hand in my life. The minute I wake up, I just naturally do my thing. It’s not hard, it’s not complicated because I’ve made my morning routine a habit and it comes naturally. I enjoy it because it’s who I am and it aligns with the person I want to be.
Habits bring you closer to the person you want to be. If you’re okay staying the same five years from now, cool, but I bet if you’re reading this blog post, you’re the type of person that wants to uplift yourself and better yourself overall.
So let’s get into building habits!
What’s the purpose of the habit you’re trying to build?
For example, a habit I like to keep is to read for at least 20 minutes per day. The point of this habit? To continue to educate myself daily and open my mind to learning new things. There’s a reason behind this habit and because of that, it sticks.
My morning routine includes multiple different habits that are all intended for a specific purpose. I oil pull to detox and clear my mind right when I wake up. I drink lemon water to kickstart my digestion for the day and hydrate myself. I make green juice to load my body with nutrients so I have the energy to show up for my family and my work. I move my body to get my blood flowing and my lymphatic system moving to help detox my body. I write a to-do list and brain dump for the day to clear my head and make the most out of my time that day.
Do you see the intention behind each habit? That’s what you have to do. If you’re doing something because someone told you to but you really have no reason personally why you’re doing it, it will never stick.
So how can you create intentional habits?
- First, think of the person you want to be.
What would she or he be doing? Are they active? Are they energetic? Are they full of life? If so, are your current habits in line with that type of person?
If you’re chugging caffeine and bingeing Netflix and eating chips for lunch, there is no way you’re going to become a naturally energized, fit person. Not with those habits. It just won’t happen.
Another quote from James Clear in his book Atomic Habits is this, “every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become”. Think about that next time you go about your day and really take note of what you do. It’s very eye-opening and humbling.
- Create an action plan.
Most of the time we set goals with no clear action plan. We say “I want to lose 10lbs.” You go on a crash diet that you really have no idea what you’re even doing. You lose like 7lbs and then gain 8 back.
The problem wasn’t your goal. The problem was the route you took to get there. You didn’t create an identity change and therefore your habits didn’t change. You made a short-term commitment. Remember what I said earlier about long-term wellness won’t come from a short-term commitment?
Then what happens is you get down on yourself for failing. When in fact, you didn’t fail, you just stayed the same person as you were before. It wasn’t failure, it was just a lack of growth.
Habits are meant to fuel your growth so it’s essential that you create habits that are in line with the person you want to be. As I coach my clients, ultimately what’s happening is I’m helping them build new healthy habits and teaching them the reasoning behind each habit and what it does for their health. Because the clients are actively wanting to change and better themselves, they have the intention and they build the habit, and it sticks.
- Keep up the momentum, once you see and/or feel the results.
Habits are also easier to maintain once you see the reward. This is just human nature, we want to see results for something we put effort into right? When you have momentum, maintaining comes naturally.
So once you create the intention behind your habit, practice it, master it, and see the reward from it, you’re solid. Then you have to make sure it becomes part of who you are. Remember, this is how you truly change your life.
With all that being said, what habits are you ready to create in your life?
Who do you want to become? Sit down with yourself and really ask these questions. If you need help creating a healthy lifestyle and building healthy habits, I’m always here for you. You can contact me here.
With joy and health,
