My Health Journey Wasn’t About More Resolutions—Rather, a Change in Habits
It is spring time. Q1 has ended, and as we head into a new quarter it’s time for a performance review. How did you do? Did you slash those resolutions, succeed in more sales, crush it with your diet and exercise regiment? If you fell a bit behind, that’s alright. It’s time to get up and start again. Q2 is here—a time for setting new goals, and implementing strategies for growth and resilience. Remember, it is never too late to invest in your health. For some, resolutions can be hard for the following reasons:
Setting unrealistic expectations
Being too vague or lacking in clarity
Not having a plan
Declining in motivation
and external factors like stress
Sound familiar? Don’t fret. You are not alone. We understand how frustrating it is to not accomplish a goal you set out to tackle. It wasn’t all too long ago that I was on this same merry-go-round. While on a international flight home, watching inflight movies one after the other, I stumbled upon a Masterclass given by author, James Clear called Small Habits that Make a Big Impact on Your Life. This really resonated with me and my ongoing journey to better health, better decisions and ultimately a better me.
You see, my health journey started about two years ago. My eating habits weren’t terrible, we tried to eat as healthy and organically as possible, but there were definitely things I needed to change. For one, snacking was my downfall. I’d come home from my stressful job and what was the first thing I’d grab? Chips. Give me all the crunchy, crispy, salty bag of tortilla, potato, veggie…you name it. It was stress eating to the max. You can ask my husband, he will confirm it. For many years I would harbor this horrible habit to calm my inner-self. Fortunately, I was able to break this habit. It took a lot of self-control and I’m so happy I did it. Like anything hard we set out to do or change, it takes baby steps.
Richard Dreyfus as Doctor Leo Marvin holding his book Baby Steps, Playing opposite Bill Murray, in the 1991 comedy What About Bob by Touchstone Pictures.
Instead of being on auto-pilot, once home, I started to be conscious about my snacking. What was once downing almost a whole bag of chips, slowly became less and less. I wanted to have a better relationship with food, so instead of completely cutting chips out of my diet, I limited them to the serving amount on the back of the package. Setting aside the allotted amount of chips, putting the bag away, resolving to not go back for more. The thoughtless inhaling of chips now had to be savored one by one. I began to realize that it was enough.
I looked over at my husband, who is now watching the same Masterclass I just ingested. He pulls off his earphones and says to me, you know I own his book, right? I roll my eyes and said “of course you do” with a smile on my face.
Fast forward to home and listening to James’ book on Audible, I definitely see the direct relationship with how we think and feel in our decision making process. Our behaviors, habits and our determination (or resolve) to do something are both involved in our decision-making and actions over time.
Here’s how they correlate with one another:
Resolve as Determination: When someone has resolve, they demonstrate a firm decision or determination to act in a certain way. This internal commitment often influences their behavior or the habits they form. For example, resolving to be healthier might lead someone to adopt healthier habits, such as exercising regularly or eating better.
Behavior and Habit Formation: Behavior refers to the actions or responses of a person, while habits are behaviors that are repeated regularly and tend to become automatic. Strong resolve can be a key factor in creating positive habits, as it often provides the initial push needed to maintain consistent behavior over time.
The Key to Lasting Transformation?
Our resolve is the internal drive that can lead us to forming the change of behaviors and habits, so that they are more purposeful and sustained.
James Clear’s book Atomic Habits is the #1 New York Times Best Seller teaching you to build habits you can actually stick to. This informational and motivating read provides a practical guide on building a better you through a proven framework. Thus allowing your good habits to take the lead while leaving the unwanted habits in the dust. Anyone looking to master this area of their life, or feel they need a refresher for stronger determination, will find this book helpful. Overcoming bad habits has never been easier!
Friends, the choice is yours. You alone have the power to change. What’s gonna be your small win? (Share with us online and reach out to us @simplydished)
James Clear - Atomic Habits (Audible). / Atomic Habits (Hardcover)
Listen to Atomic Habit on Audible
“You can lose yourself one small compromise at a time. You can transform yourself one small win at a time.”
~ James Clear
