Break Bad Habits with New Routines

We are in the habit of making New Year’s resolutions. What about starting right now, before the end of the year to make some small changes? The excuse I hear at this time of the year is that “It’s the holidays”. But have you ever noticed that more people get sick after the holidays? All that overeating puts a burden on the immune system. We forget about going to the health club because we are so busy going to all the parties and holiday events. Also we might be burning the candle at both ends and not getting enough sleep. All of these behaviors are really a result of our habits.

We basically have developed bad habits in our past, endorsed by television commercials, and think of the holidays as a time to indulge. “Everybody else does it, so why not me? I don’t want to miss out in all the fun and great food.” What we forget, in the moment, is how we will feel afterwards and the likely pounds that will be added to our frame. It’s instant gratification versus delayed gratification.

We need to ask ourselves, “Who is in charge, the impulsive child or the mature adult?”. Inside all of us is a child who lives with no vision and is all about momentary pleasures. The child does what feels good. If our child is in charge then we are going to participate in the holiday festivities with great gusto. If our mature adult is in charge then we are going to realize the only way to change is to sacrifice some of the momentary pleasures. Saying no instead of yes. Making a choice to engage in different behaviors, and making a decision to do something completely different.

If we want a change, then we need to look at our habits. We are run by habits. 96% of anything we do is run by unconscious habits. So when we decide to do something different, it is going to interrupt the pattern of habits or behaviors. This can trigger either excitement or anxiety depending on the habit we want to change.

Start creating new habits, healthier habits. New routines may feel difficult in the beginning but once the new behavior kicks in, you will have more new productive habits. It’s never too late to start!

Charlene Day

Charlene is a Lifestyle and Leadership Coach, Mindset Breakthrough Mentor, facilitator, author, and speaker. Her expertise in the areas of wellness, lifestyle counseling, holistic health and entrepreneurial coaching is the result of more than 45 years of study and practice. She is a Master Practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), a Registered Nutritional Consultant, has a Bachelor of Spiritual Science, and holds a Diploma in Social Work.