Have you tried and struggled to create new, more positive habits that you wanted for yourself? Has the process made you a little gun shy? The truth is, most attempts at forming new habits fail, simply because an individual tries to bite off more than they could chew. Adopting a small habits approach might make it easier when you take small bite-size chunks. You might find that making a change is easier than your realized.
How do you create a small habit successfully?
1. Don’t try to change the world overnight. Start with just one new habit and then go from there.
2. Make a commitment. Not every habit is created equal, and some take longer to embed in your mind than others. But one thing is true. The longer you perform the same activity day after day, the more success you will have in creating that habit. Decide right now that you’re going to give this new habit at least 3 – 4 weeks to give it a proper start.
3. Link the habit to something that already works. If you have a successful habit already in place, ask yourself what small thing you can attach to that habit. For example, you might already be brushing your teeth every day. How hard would it be to add flossing to that routine?
4. Keep it small. Knowing that most habit formation fails because you’re trying to do too much too soon, then make a point to keep the changes very small. Mini habits have a much higher rate of success than trying to create a great big change.
5. Have a disaster plan in place. Knowing that things are going to go wrong from the start helps you to be ready when they do. Can’t jog today because it’s raining? That’s ok, you’ve got an entirely different workout in place as a Plan B.
6. Grab a friend. The only way to keep on track, especially when building habits, is to use your network. Have an accountability partner or use social media to keep you honest.
7. Reward yourself. Celebrate every little milestone with a reward, something that makes sense and will encourage you to keep going when you’re flagging.
8. Redefine yourself. Accept that this is the new you. The habits you’re building are going to change who you are – hopefully for the better. Embrace the new identity. By following these steps, you not only will succeed when applying small habits to your life but over time you’ll see some amazing growth and development as a person. That’s exciting, especially when you consider how little you had to do to get there.
To book a call with Sue, click the button now!