Habits are important to getting things done. Want to know how to create a new habit?
One recommended way is to attach it to something you are already doing. I hired a coach years ago to hold me accountable and help me to accomplish more. It was during a coaching session that I discovered an idea that truly changed my life for the better.
When I retired from my full-time job one of my most difficult transitions with that change was keeping myself physically active. I had walked the halls during lunch or breaks for years. That is what kept me feeling good – both physically and emotionally. Activity increases energy level and mood.
But after retirement I spent a lot of time writing and working at the computer. My part-time job required me to sit at a desk. I tried several different ways to include regular activity in my schedule, but I just wasn’t able to maintain anything long-term.
In one of our sessions, I was sharing with my personal life coach that I wanted to start walking at least 10 minutes per day. Then I said that I was sometimes out that long with my dog in the morning. Then came the aha moment. Instead of going out in the back yard in my pjs, I could put on clothes quickly before taking her out and walk her around the block rather than just standing in the yard waiting for her.
You see, I had heard someone recommend that if you want to start a new habit, to add it onto something you are already doing. Just making that statement out loud to my coach helped me process this new idea!
I started walking or jogging 10 minutes or more regularly. I felt so much better! I have moved forward now into working out in a gym, but that small change in my routine – a new habit – made all the difference when I needed it.
What regular change can you make to improve your life? Make it happen so you can live . . . your life to the fullest.