There’s constantly talk about habits, isn’t there? Healthy habits. Unhealthy habits. Breaking a habit. Creating a new habit. So much TALK… but sometimes, if we are honest, there is not so much ACTION. As the new year turns, we begin our journey determined to hit a new goal. Sometimes we receive a health diagnosis and commit to making nutritional changes. Or– we even see a picture of ourselves and are anything but thrilled with our appearance, motivating us to go to the gym.
This month, especially, we have discussed significant health concerns regarding your heart, cancer risks, and next week, your relationship with food. We are constantly giving you information meant to change your behavior, right? The point is, there is almost always some kind of event that triggers us into action. Yet, for some reason, that action is short-lived more often than it is successful and long-term. Where is the disconnect?
The “disconnect” is simple. Creating healthy habits that support our goals of living a long life is more than just action, AND it’s more than the trigger. Our habits are created by our thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Consider this:
“Your thoughts produce your feelings, which generate your actions, which cause your results.” Your results reinforce your initial thoughts, then create self-fulfilling prophecies. As humans, once we develop or witness enough evidence over and over again, once we prove ourselves right enough, those originating thoughts then become beliefs… which drive your feelings, which drive your actions, which lead to your results.
How do we break that cycle and retrain our brain for growth in any and all areas of living a healthy lifestyle?
Rather than focus on what you “should” or shouldn’t” do in certain situations (which can lead to intentional rebellion, frustration, and feelings of restriction or even failure), simply bring more mindfulness to the situation. The more you can do this, the more space you create to not only disconnect the action with a ritual thought but to create NEW thoughts around the situation… setting the stage for new feelings, new actions, and then, new results! Your brain supports this endeavor – psychologically and physiologically! An extra perk… as you create new habits in one area of your life, your brain becomes more “open” to doing it in other areas, as well!
If you choose to embrace change, you are adopting a growth mindset. Mindset MATTERS. Be present in your season of change, and let in all the uncomfortable thoughts and new beliefs to allow physical, emotional, and spiritual growth.
