Healthier Habits, Part Two

What do you do in a normal day? Maybe you get up, go to the bathroom, hit the snooze alarm a few times, fix a cup of coffee, take a shower, etc. It is probably the same things you did on a normal day the day before, and before that. In 2006 there was a study done by Duke University that discovered that 40% of our actions are the result of habits that are already in place. Each habit we have is signaled by a cue, for example, our alarm goes off, it cues us signaling it is time to get up, or hit the snooze button again, whichever. We have programmed our brain to create these habits, these habits make up a system, according to James Clear of Atomic Habits. This system of habits creates our lifestyle. We may say, I wish I could be more like that, for example a healthier person, a non-smoker, etc. If so, what are some habits that are inhibiting you from being more like the ‘Who’ you want to become. In the previous article, we talked about the ‘Who’ you want to become, for example you want to be a healthier person and once you know the ‘Who’ you know what you need to do to get there. What are some habits that need to be replaced to get you to where you want to be? Maybe you want to become a less stressed person, what are some healthier habits you can do to replace the habits already in place. Maybe you get up 30 minutes earlier and spend time meditating, reading, or exercising to get your day started and clear your mind. Maybe, you do not hit your snooze button more than once when you hear your alarm go off. Maybe you want more financial stability, people that are financially stable are disciplined to not spend frequently or overspend, live within their means, so to speak. John Maxwell quoted “small disciplines repeated with consistency everyday lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.” If you have a desire to reach a better you, start small, it does not have to be a bunch of changes, start with just one and it can be as simple as not hitting the snooze button when the alarm goes off. When it comes to achieving your optimal health, it comes down to small changes done consistently and repeated every day to achieve great results.