Everyone always wants to start new habits on Monday.
What’s up with that?
I’ve been guilty of it too.
Maybe it’s that you intend to create a new habit but want to give yourself the space to live in the “bad place” for just a little bit longer. You know... one more weekend...
Or maybe it’s that you are still working yourself up to making change.
Because change is hard!
But sometimes, staying where you are is actually harder.
Monday feels like a good day because it’s the start of a fresh week. It’s like a natural beginning.
But what happens…
You go ALL-IN on Monday… and then crash and burn pretty quickly after that.
So let’s spend some time today breaking HOW to make habits that actually stick.
I’ll share THREE things you need to create lasting healthy habits.
By “healthy habits,” I mean anything that helps you work towards a positive goal you have in mind for yourself…
… it could be your actual health, like eating cleaner, or exercising, or losing weight.
Or just cutting back on that sugar habit.
That one’s hard, I know.
...or it could be for your biz… like spending more time doing what you love, and stressing less over the parts you’re not all that into.
Habits start with intention, right?
So let’s dig into that.
Have a clear intention
You want to do something differently because your intention is to see an improvement in your life.
The trick here is to get specific.
Identify WHY you want to make a change.
If your goal is to lose 10 pounds, why is that?
Are you feeling sluggish and tired?
Do you not like how you feel in your body? Or how your jeans are currently fitting you?
Do you want to have more energy and feel happier, like you did a few months ago before those stress-eating pounds crept back in?
It’s totally ok to be honest with yourself.
Set an intention and visualize it. Make it real in your mind.
Create a goal for yourself and remind yourself every day of this intention so that when bad habits start wanting to sneak in, you can ask if they’re supporting your intention.
Set yourself up for success through “habit stacking”
If you’re like me (actually most people!), you want to see that result as fast as possible.
So, when you decide to make a change… you go ALL-IN.
And you commit to doing it as fast as possible.
Those stubborn ten pounds you’re working on losing?
On Monday morning (obviously), you get up an hour early, hit the gym or the yoga mat or go for a morning walk.
You come home, make the healthy smoothie you planned, pop the new supplements you ordered online, sit down to the guided meditation you downloaded, meal prep your salad for lunch, and begin to go about your day...
Feeling great about all the new steps you’re making towards your goal of losing weight.
But, then… regular life happens.
Tuesday you somehow sleep through your alarm and hyperdrive kicks in.
So you cut your workout in half, grab a coffee and muffin on the way home, skip the meditation (who has time for THAT this morning?), and rush back to your regular schedule.
If you feel seen right now, I promise that you’re not alone.
Here’s what’s wrong with your plan…
Too much, too soon.
The IDEA of change is great – and super important – but you have to actually make it reasonable for yourself if you want habits to stick.
Here’s where habit stacking comes in.
Habit stacking is the idea that to create a new habit, you break it down into manageable pieces that you add to slowly over time.
Let’s go back to that example of losing ten pounds.
Rather than try to change your whole life, you start with ONE THING you will do consistently.
And make it small.
Like adding a morning workout.
Rather than promise yourself you’re going to commit to a J-Lo level 2 hours of gym-time each day…
Just start with 30 minutes.
Choose something you enjoy and will actually do.
So let’s say you do this and you complete your workout consistently for one week. Success!
Now is when you can begin to habit stack by adding another small habit on top of your morning workout.
Let’s say you add 15 minutes of meditation to your morning because it helps reduce your stress.
And you know that when you stress, you reach for sugary snacks.
So now your morning routine towards your goal of losing ten pounds has TWO habits you’re working on consistently… and they’re manageable for you.
Over time, those two new habits become so manageable that you’re ready to add a third habit…
Maybe it’s replacing one meal with something plant-based.
There’s your new habit stack.
The key here is to STAY CONSISTENT and START SMALL.
This is how growth happens.
Be patient with yourself
Not-so-big secret coming at ya…
Change takes TIME!
Of course you want to “complete” your new habit as fast as possible.
But if you try to change everything all at once, chances are nothing will stick.
You’ll end up right back where you started…
And you’ll feel bad about yourself because you “failed.”
Girl, I am telling you, this is NOT the way to make it happen!
And we all know time is in short supply around here, which is why I’m constantly on the lookout for useful hacks and tips to share with you.
To make the most of your time… and get all of the things done.
Time-management is probably the number one thing I’m asked to help with on the regular because there is a limited amount of time in the day and a seemingly endless amount of things to accomplish.
How is one person supposed to:
Each and every day!?
It’s doable. I promise.
For the last few months, I’ve been working on an exciting new online project I want to tell you about.
It’s all about time management and it’s free!
The “Reclaim Your Time Challenge” is an 8-day online program you can do at home or wherever you are on the go.
I’ll be sharing my secrets on how to take back your schedule, so you can find the time to do all the things you want to do in your days – yes, even the things you WANT to do but never seem to have the time for.
This is info I normally only share with my private coaching clients.
With how crazy the world is now, I wanted to share ways to manage the stress and overwhelm you have in your own overpacked schedule.
Now I know earlier I mentioned that habit stacking takes time.
And it does.
But in this challenge, I’m sharing even more shortcuts to help you get there… and keep those healthy habits going.
Personal AND professional.
I’m still putting the final touches on the challenge, so keep an eye out for all the details.
It’s free. It’s online. And it’s starting October 15...but you can register starting in the next few days.
If you’re overwhelmed by your daily to-do list or constantly feeling like you’re behind… this is the thing for you.
More info will be coming on this.
Thanks for being here! I’ll see ya online...