This year, don’t make a resolution: make a habit!
Skeptical of resolutions? So are we! Research shows that 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail within the first three weeks. But, if you can make it to two and a half months (66 days, to be exact), then you can turn that resolution into a habit.
According to research, in 66 days you can actually rewire the way your nervous system works, influence the way your body’s hormones are controlled and shared, and use your desired changes to actually make them a habit. So, how do you do that?
STEP 1: FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU’RE AT.
You can’t get to where you want to go if you don’t know where you’re at. Yet year after year many of us take on lofty health goals only to see them come crashing down as soon as too many external stressors press upon us. A large part of this stems from never taking the time to first assess where we are. If you asked us how to get to Seattle, we’d first have to ask: “where are you starting from?”
Healthy Is Wellness provides a comprehensive look at where you are in our monthly coaching sessions, so we recommend starting there. But, if nothing else, analyze what it is that you want to change and what has stopped you from making that change in the past. Answering those two questions will help significantly with giving you a starting point from which to launch into your desired habit.
STEP 2: DECIDE WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.
This doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Simply write down the answers to the following questions:
- What is my goal?
- What is going to stand in the way of reaching that goal?
- What is going to help me reach my goal?
We call the last two barriers and accelerators. The most common barriers we see are a lack of time, lack of social support from those closest to you, and the inconvenience of making a change. Accelerators, on the other hand, look like people, rules, or certain tools that will help you reach your goal. The more honest you are about each of these, the better you are going to be at addressing them in your plan.
STEP 3: MAKE A PLAN.
Again, this doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Simply do the following three things:
- Make a list of your accelerators and write out how you’re going to use them in creating your new habit and achieving your goal.
- Make a list of barriers and write out how you’re going to navigate them or address them in creating your new habit and achieving your goal.
- Decide when you’re going to start your new habit to help you reach your goal, and make a plan on your calendar of when you’re going to do this behavior each day.
Bonus: Healthy Is Wellness coaches are trained in this behavior change process and would love to help you out! If you’ve never been to a coach or just have a quick question, shoot us an email at [email protected].
STEP 4: DOUBLE YOUR CHANCES OF SUCCESS!
Did you know you are twice as likely to succeed by having an accountability partner? Research shows that you have a significantly higher chance to succeed in reaching your goals when receiving social support. You’re also 600% more likely to start your new habit if you share it with someone close to you!
So, decide now: who are you going to share your goals with to double your chances of success, and who are you going to support in their Track to 66 journey?
STEP 5: GET YOUR TRACK TO 66 HABIT TRACKER.
We are here to help you achieve your goals this year by providing proven strategies to enhance your success. At your health coaching session this month, get your Track to 66 Habit Tracker to map the pathway to your goal.
According to Brian Tracy, the author of perhaps the best selling book ever on achieving your goals (called “Goals!” if you’d like to check it out): “If I was given only five minutes to speak to you and I could convey only one thought that would help you be more successful, I would tell you this: WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS, make a plan to achieve them, and work on your plans every single day.”
Want to know more about forming a habit this year? Then join us at our January Healthy Is Wellness events to start your journey to Track to 66!
