Creating a New Healthy Habit (Tips from the Heart), from Michelle Chua

 

1. Instead of focusing on an old habit you want to release, focus on how the new habit you want to create inspires you. Journal, meditate, reflect, talk to a loved one and let yourself feel the inspiration of what this new habit serves, creates or manifests.  Have fun researching the benefits of this new habit.  Find a genuine pull to what it is you love and are devoted to.  And let your inner joy drive you to inspired action.
2. Let go of perfection.  Showing up is key, and some days you just might not feel like going all out.  That’s okay. It’s human.  As you’re doing the best you can, your “best” may mean a more doable variation of your new habit, according to the moment’s circumstances. And if you fall off the wagon, and miss a day or slip up, remember the saying “Fall 7 times.  Get up 8.”  As you commit to picking yourself up again, you’ve strengthened your inner muscle of resilience and self-trust.  Be kind and compassionate to yourself; it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.  As life happens and you roll with the punches, remember to be honest and forgiving with yourself.
3. Make it feasible for you.  Start with doable baby steps in which you can feel successful and let that inspire you to grow your habit.  For example, if you want to be able to meditate for 20 minutes a day and you currently don’t meditate at all, try setting the timer for just 5 minutes a day first.  When that feels like a strong enough habit you’ve been able to accomplish consistently for a while, you might experiment with 7 minutes next and so on.
4. Piggyback your new habit onto another habit that’s already in place.  For instance, let’s say you’d like to keep a tidier home by making your bed each day. If you habitually go to the toilet each morning as soon as you awaken, attach the new habit of making your bed as soon as you get out of the bathroom. Attach the new habit with what you do after using the toilet at the start of the day, associating it with cleansing your body andcleansing your home space for a fresh start.
5. Celebrate your growth, step by step.  Find a personally meaningful way to acknowledge your progress that contributes to strengthening your new habit.  For example, let’s say your new habit is to eat 70% vegetables within each meal.  Perhaps for weeks now you’ve gone from 0-20% vegetables to 50%.  That’s a huge difference!  Aligned to your inspiration for choosing this new habit, find a way to celebrate.  If you started this new habit to have a cleaner digestive system and to feel more energized in your body, you might celebrate by taking yourself out dancing or rollerblading, if those are hobbies you enjoy.  Just make sure your way of celebrating isn’t counterproductive, like foregoing all vegetables and binge eating junk food!  Notice the inner message you’re communicating to your body-mind through how you choose to reward it.
6. Most importantly, have fun with the journey!  What’s it all worth if you’re dragging your feet into something you just think you “should” do?  That may not last very long, if the human spirit is not in it.  Find the joy in it, (see tip number 1, your inspiration), and add your own flair to do it in the most meaningful way for you. Even mundane activities, like brushing your teeth or washing the dishes, can be simply gratifying or nurturing. Experience it as a practice of mindfulness, letting go of having to be elsewhere while you’re doing it and being open to seeing it from different angles.  Be creative: Maybe having freshly aromatic dish soap or a brand new electric toothbrush adds that childlike tinge of enthusiasm to color your lens of your activity or habit.​

If you'd like to create a daily habit of yoga with breath work, meditation and postures, consider joining Morning 21 here.  It's 21 days of 21 minutes a day to get you started!