Were you able to implement one new mirco-habit last month? If you did not land it
perfectly, that’s okay, new habits take time. Let’s stop for a second and take a look at the
process that happens in order to establish any sort of change in our lives. Our brain is an
amazing organ and it was created to adapt and change. I want to paint a simple picture for
you of how our brain was designed to function as it relates to habits.
Think about your brain as billions of trails that are well traveled. You’ve taken these
trails most of your life, they encompass your lifestyle habits, thoughts, beliefs, and feelings.
Any time you perform a task, feel a specific emotion, or believe a certain way, you are
strengthening that path and it gets easier for your brain to follow this road. Before you
know it, it seems effortless. This can benefit you or become destructive. You get to choose!
Therefore, in order to carve out new habits or pathways in your brain, you simply
have to stop going down the old trail and determine your new path. In time, it will become
well-traveled and easier to navigate. The old path weakens and becomes overgrown. This
process is called neuroplasticity and it is the process in which your brain makes new
connections, establishes new habits, transforms emotions, and develops a new way of
thinking.
Last month, we talked about establishing a very simple habit of drinking more water
throughout your day. The goal was to set an alarm on your phone as a reminder and take a
big drink of water at 30-minute increments, with the assistance of your alarm, right? By the
end of the day you would have reached your intake goal. Simple. Now, have you mastered
this new habit? NOPE! Studies show that it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to form a
new habit or break an old one. You have to “decide” every day to cut through the new trails
in your life. You are pioneering a new way for yourself.
I don’t know about you, but anytime I am trying to establish change in my life, I need
other people to know about it in order make it real. I need to reach out to my husband, a
friend or my life coach to ask them to help me stay on track. This can look like a regular
lunch date, an inspirational text or knowing I might call to rant about my frustration
knowing they won’t let me make excuses. It is hard to rewiring the brain…especially when
life’s demands push up against you and that old well worn path looks so inviting.
One of the most powerful ways to motivate yourself is to first determine WHY
reaching this goal is important to you. If you do not have a strong reason WHY you “want
this” you are destined to fail. Take some time this month and get into a quite space and get
really honest with yourself. Decide what you want to change or really “need” to change and
then do some soul search as to why you want the change and what it is costing you NOT to
change.
You are welcome to share your thoughts with me or even your struggles. Reach out
to me at [email protected]. Change is hard, but repeated and intentional action can
move you forward to living the life that you desire.