Since birth, exercise and I were not only NOT best friends but we probably didn’t even live in the same city.
For years, I’ve given myself the resolution to exercise more. And then didn’t/found convenient excuses/got lazy. I’ve tried the gift goals route, the habit tracker route and the reward route (i.e. buy cute exercise outfits).
I realized I was going about it the wrong way when nothing would stick because I was fixing everything outside myself (the systems, the outfits, the processes) without taking into consideration my mindset. My thoughts about exercise always revolved around the idea that “exercise is something I have to do.” Even if I changed my language to “exercise will help me live longer,” I knew that it was just may have-tos/shoulds in disguise.
I then looked at the thoughts I had about me. One of the ideas I have about myself is “I am a strong and capable woman.” I was, of course, talking about emotional strength. I then wondered what would happen if I could be strong in all areas of my life—the physical, the mental, emotional and spiritual?
That was the turning point. I needed to use the thoughts I had about myself as a way to make exercise a habit. I also made sure to try a variety of workouts (because another idea I have about me is “I get bored easily”). I’ve done spinning barre, yoga, Pilates and rowing. I now even workout with friends and young nieces. The most consistent practice though has been a 10-minute routine on Youtube. I now exercise four times a week!
What habit have you been trying to build?
Meditation?
Writing consistently?
Spending more time with family?
Waking up early?
Instead of starting from the outside-in, start with the thoughts you have about yourself and use those thoughts as a way to charge your habit with authenticity and energy. Use empowering ideas about yourself (“I am committed to the people I love and that includes me;” “I finish what I start;” “I love to learn new things”) to make a habit stick.
