Let's talk habits & routines - Part 3

A different approach to creating habits that stick

I am sure you have heard the phrase, “we are the sum total of our habits” enough times and recognise it to be the truth. May be you have intentionally tried to build some healthy lifestyle habits that are serving you or may be you have lost your focus. Either way, you will have something to take away from today's post. Let's get right into it.

Steps to creating habits that stick:

Step 1: Pay Attention

In my first post in this series, I had asked you to start paying attention to your daily habits and routines. I hope you have been doing that. If not, start today. In particular do the following:

✨ Pay attention to habits that are serving you in living a better quality life (does not necessarily have to be in the 'health & fitness' space)

✨ Reflect on how you went about creating these habits - what methods you used to get the habit to stick, how long it took you, what's helping you stay consistent with them

Oftentimes, our focus is on what's not working & how to fix it, over what's working. Paying attention to what's working will help you unearth some of your own wisdom that's made you successful. You can now use this wisdom to create better habits in the area of 'health & fitness'.

“There comes a point in life when you need to stop reading other people's books and write your own “ - Albert Einstein

Step 2: Creating New habits

In the realm of health & fitness, some habits that can help you feel better in your body, mind & spirits are:

A. Regular exercise

B. Adequate hydration

C. Active lifestyle

D. Good nutrition

E. Adequate rest, recovery, sleep

F. Stress reduction practices such as Breathwork, mindfulness, meditation, time in nature, good relationships etc. (this list can be endless)

Don't try to become perfect in all areas overnight. That's unnecessary and also not practical. Just pick any one area that feels relevant to you & work with it. Do the work based on the understanding you have gained about yourself.

“Drop by drop is the water pot filled.” - Buddha

A Real life Case Study:

Here is a real life story of my Client, Manjusha on building healthy lifestyle habits:

Client pic shared with permission

Manjusha has been training with me for over 5 years now. She joined me to solve some of her health issues and with time managed to not only solve her health problems but also improve her health & fitness considerably. Today, she is able to enjoy her life more fully.

Here is her account of building habits in the area of ‘health & fitness':

✨ Daily Exercise: “Daily workout was started with my doctor's advice. It was easy to start. I was fortunate to find the right trainer to help me keep it going for 5 years. The environment was very positive and every participant had a winning story to tell. As the sessions started improving my overall wellness, I got addicted to it.”

✨ Hydration: “One of the habit I developed was drinking two litres of water everyday. This started from a monthly goal set in my fitness class. When I started measuring the water intake I realised I did not have any system that ensured adequate hydration. So I started keeping a 1L bottle filled with water in the morning exclusively for myself. The ability to see/feel the progress helped a lot in building the habit. I continued it beyond the initial month and have been following it ever since.”

✨ Activity: “Tracking the steps also started as a monthly goal activity. Initially my goal was to walk 45 minutes every day. Soon I got a smartwatch to track the steps. This gave me flexibility in walking at different times and for shorter duration at a time. Soon it became part of my everyday routine. Walking outdoors gave me the chance of meeting other people and also enjoy nature.”

✨ Nutrition: “After joining the daily meal group, I started observing my food habits. As I follow vegetarian diet, I wanted to be more conscious of adding protein to my diet. So I started consciously adding pulses to my meals and now its become a habit.”

Clearly, the habits my client has managed to accumulate over the last 5 years have been a result of:

A. Being part of a community supportive of healthy lifestyle habits

B. Committing to participation and taking full ownership

From what I see she can continue to create new habits by simply using the power of being part of a positive community. Something that has helped her in the past.

Now you tell me what's going to help you?

Let me know in comments or write back. I would love to hear from you, grow through conversations with you and also support you on your journey to better health and fitness. I will share my own lessons in comments. Remember to check it out.

In the next post we will talk about the role of environment and how to look at it in an empowering way.

Reading & listening recommendations:

1. Atomic habits by James Clear

2. Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg

3. Podcast on habit stacking: https://purnimaaiyar.substack.com/p/habit-stacking-and-setting-smart#details