Habit Stacking and Building the Healthier Life You Want (One Step at a Time)

Let's say you've been trying to live a healthier life. 

You've made a list of habits you're trying to improve that will get you that result. You put the plan into action and are excited! 

Then you only last about a week or a month before you feel burnt out and fall back into the same routine.

What gives?

- The internet might tell you didn't try hard enough.
- You were dedicated enough.
- You didn't want it bad enough.

 …

Those things might be true.

And it might also be that you tried to change too much at once. You see, the reason why it's difficult for us to change bad habits or correct behaviors that don't serve us is because it's automated. We don't have to think very hard when we hit 'snooze' on our alarm clocks. It doesn't take as much energy to pick up fast food. It certainly doesn't require a lot of mental capacity to plop down on the couch after work.

In order to break these habits, you need to be aware and present. Anyone who's done this sort of work of being in the present moment knows it takes practice and mental energy. It's why when you enact a bunch of lifestyle changes, you can feel so burnt out from it all!

So go ahead, make the list of changes you want to make. But I urge you to start with just one.

- Get out of the bed when the alarm goes off, every single time.
- Grab ingredients from the fridge and cook more meals at home.
- Go straight from work to the gym, or straight from work to grabbing your gym bag from home. Don't let the couch entice you!

Master that one thing before adding another. That way, the new habit will be automated, second nature, your first reaction. You won't have to think about it as hard. Then, you can begin to stack on positive and beneficial behaviors. 

The results will take time, but this way, the results will actually happen!