It’s easy to let life pass by and be content with more of the same. Then one day you wake up and realize it’s time to replace unhealthy habits with some that work more in your favor.
You take a good hard look at how you got to this point- it could be family matters, career choices or lack of knowledge for slipping into “bad habits”. You might think you don’t have any bad habits. In fact, you might think you have no habits at all.
Bombshell revelation- that line of thinking is actually a habit (and possibly a lack of self awareness).
It’s not just physical habits like smoking, drinking or taking anything in excess, we have unconscious habits that rule our day to day activities.
-What time you wake up each day- habit
-Couch potato- habit
-How you react in stressful situations- habit
-How you unwind- habit
-The words you say to yourself- habit
-Your “go-to” method for anything— HABIT
A habit is defined as “a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up”. They govern everything we do, day in and day out. Some might be challenging, but contrary to popular belief, they can be changed. It’s easier than you think. But it takes time and effort.
We change habits by setting goals and formulating a plan
When you decide it’s time to move, what’s the first thing you do? You start looking at your budget, thinking about where you want to live, what kind of place you want; if you have kids, the school district matters. These are all parts of a plan to move. When you go shopping for a car- you look at your budget, insurance, vehicle safety (maybe some of you).
The point is, every major change comes with some sort of mindful planning. Mindful, being the operative word. Why can’t that be the same for your habits?
As we age, habits get set in stone and become much harder to shift. It takes self awareness and gumption to move your stubborn mind into thinking and acting a different way.
The jury is still out (and probably will be forever) on how long it takes to form a habit and break a habit. Like anywhere from 18 to 200 days. Ummm ok. Let’s just say it’s different for everyone and there’s no set answer.
One sure fire way to shift your habits and accomplish what you set out to do is learn about yourself. Time to bring your “I usually do” front and center.
The first part of planning a health change is to take stock in your current life situation and who you really are. That means who you are today, not who you want to be or what you’d like to see happen.
Turning the mirror on yourself is an uncomfortable exercise in mental awareness but you won’t be able to change things if you’re not ready to see reality. This doesn’t have to be a harsh and “mean” realization. It’s just you showing you, well, you.
Self acceptance means loving every part of you, even the unhealthy habits. While at the same time knowing that those habits no longer serve your growth process and it’s time to change.
