Strategies For Building Habits

Find Your Why
Identify your why, and use it as your sign post on this journey.
First and foremost, why do you want to improve your physical health? Do you want to be able to ski, play pickleball, or run? Do you have an important event that you want to be ready for? Do you always want to be able to play with your kids or grandkids?

Set Goals
Define what you want and set your BIG goal.
Now break that goal down into a smaller, more manageable goals. Keep going until you have a whole bunch of realistic small goals that, when put together, add up to your one BIG goal. Be realistic on timing. You’re not going to lose 25lbs by next weekend, run a marathon without ever training, or compete in your first CrossFit competition without first learning the basics.

Track Your Progress
Keep a record of how you are doing.
Those big goals can be daunting, so it is important to track your progress. Seeing your progress is powerful motivation and can help reinforce your commitment. But don’t forget to recognize and admire your achievements along the way!

Start Small and Focus on Consistency
Remember the saying “It’s a marathon, not a sprint”. You are in it for the long haul.
Start simple. Easy things that won’t overwhelm you. Do them consistently for a minimum of 4-6 weeks. Then start again with the next incremental step.

Find Enjoyment and Community
When something is enjoyable, you usually want to keep doing it. To make a habit stick, make it enjoyable: Add a sugar-free flavor to your water Listen your favorite podcast or audiobook on a walk or run Make a 30 min playlist of music that makes you want to move and then have a dance party! Find a workout buddy or a gym that makes you want to keep coming back Change up your scenery and go for a walk somewhere new.

Just Start
More than anything, just get started. Today.
There are so many strategies on what you should or shouldn’t do as far as building habits, that it is so easy to get overwhelmed with trying to get everything right. With the holidays quickly approaching, it can be easy wait and set the new year as a start to this journey. Think in terms of an investment - the sooner you get in, the more you will earn.