Three Simple Steps to Creating a Healthy Habit

Tired of trying to incorporate healthy habits only to give up after the motivation fades? The key to finding success in creating a habit that will stick . . . . starting off small!

You turn the page in your planner to a new day, new week, new month. Going into this new year, you knew you were going to own the next twelve months! It was written in the sky for you to find nothing but success.

 You purchased new tennis shoes, you got yourself a 12-month pass to your favorite fitness spot, you cleaned out your pantry of all the processed goodies you had stashed in there, and you stocked your fridge with fresh fruits and veggies. This time . . . . this time you were going to make it work!

 And YOU DID! For two straight weeks you worked out, ate healthy, and felt amazing.

 But . .. then . .. Life happened . . . the motivation faded . . . and 18 days later those shoes aren't being worn, that fitness membership isn't being used, the fruits and veggies in your fridge are going bad, and your pantry looks like you just purchased half of Costco's chips, crackers, and single-serving snack bags.

 Sound familiar? It probably does, because we’ve all done this at least once in our lives.

 Number one sis, give yourself some grace. You Are Not Alone! It's very common when people get fired up to make some type of change in their life to go all in! Trying to change multiple things at one time, and unfortunately failing at it. It's overwhelming. The best way to go about creating a healthy habit is to start SMALL!!

 I want you to take a second and think about a healthy habit you would love to make part of your daily or weekly routine. Have you tried to make it work in the past or is this new? If you have tried in the past, how long were you able to keep the habit going? Why did you stop?

 What if I told you I could help you create a new healthy habit using three simple steps for success? Do you think you could do it? I bet you could! But I want you to ditch the idea of a total overhaul. I want you to think small!

 Here's what I can tell you when it comes to making lifelong changes - start small and start simple, because those easy to achieve, small changes will soon spiral into BIG results.

 Can you think small, sis?

 Tiny! Like just a little nugget!

 Let's be honest, as humans we don't like change. We don't like it when things disrupt what we're already comfortable with, and that's why when we try to overhaul our entire life, we usually fall short. So what I have my clients do is is come up with one simple habit they want to incorporate into an already successful daily routine . . . but the key here is I really want you to think small!

 So let's talk about what it means to think small. First off I want to introduce you to a phenomenal resource that I often use with my clients. It's a book called Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg and is life-changing. (I suggest you grab yourself a copy!)

Here's why the concept of tiny habits works so well for so many ~ it doesn't require willpower! Look we all know that willpower can only take you so far and motivation can only last for so long. What we need is an actual routine! Just as routine as brushing our teeth every morning, taking a shower, or grabbing our car keys and cell phone when we head out to the store. Something simple, that doesn’t require a lot of energy or thought.

 All of those behaviors are habits because you've done it repeatedly. They're easy, they're simple, and none of them take too long, so it doesn’t take much to incorporate them into your daily routine.

 Do you think you can create a new healthy habit if I gave the three simple steps for success? Good!

 Let’s a talk details.

 What is a Tiny Habit? It’s something you can incorporate into your day in under 30 seconds and requires little effort. (Yes, that tiny!)

 STEP 1: Think about a healthy habit that you've been wanting to incorporate into your daily routine. Now make it smaller . .. smaller . .. yes, even smaller.

Here’s what I mean.

“I want to eat healthier.”

Smaller version: I want to eat 5 servings of veggies and fruits every day.

Even smaller: I want to eat one piece of fruit with my breakfast every day.

 So now that we have the habit we want to incorporate, it’s time to move on to step 2, finding a way to incorporate it into an already successful routine you have in place. This right here is the key to your success!

 Do you have a behavior you already do on the regular like brushing your teeth or starting the coffeemaker? This is going to be your “after” or your anchor. This is how you are going to find success because you are going to attach the new behavior or habit to an already solid routine.

 Think about some routines you already do. Maybe your mornings are the most structured part of your day. If that's the case, then start there. Maybe it’s a midday routine that would work better for you. How about your evenings? For some, evenings are a little less structured and maybe not the best place to incorporate a new habit. You’ve got to find what works best for YOU!

 Let’s practice:: “After I . . . " The first part of the recipe always has After I . .. and what follows is the behavior you are already doing. Then add “I will” . . . name that new habit you want to bring into your life.

  Here, let me give you a few examples . . .

• After I brush my teeth in the morning, I will take my multivitamin

• After I pour my morning coffee, I will open my journal

• After I brush my hair, I will do three squats

• After I sit down at my work desk, I will take three deep breaths

• After I turn off my morning alarm, I will say one positive affirmation

That’s it!

Again the goal here is to start really small - tiny! I promise those small behaviors will spiral into larger behaviors as you begin to master the simple, build your confidence, and create room for more change.

 So do you think you can do it? The answer should be 100% YES. I know you can do it! I’m here for you, rooting you on.

Let's apply the steps above to form your new healthy habit that you are going to work on:

1. You start with a tiny behavior (under 30 seconds)

2. You find a good spot in your daily routine that you are already successful with for this tiny behavior.

3. You nourish your tiny behavior so it gets firmly established in your life.

As you do these three simple steps, your new habit will take root and grow into something absolutely incredible.

With a little practice, you will begin to form new, healthy habits quickly and easily.

 ​Of course, you won't be perfect. Just like everything new in life, there is some trial and error -- always something to learn. But you will get better. You will learn new skills and gain confidence. And this, in turn, can change your life in big ways.

 I’d love to hear back from you. Send me a message letting me know how the tiny habit approach worked for you. And don’t forget to share. The best way to show someone you care is to share something great with them.

For more tips on Creating or Re-establishing Healthy Habits download my FREE guide Four Simple Steps to Habit Stacking