Nature’s Fare Nutritionists Lisa and Angela are here to guide you through a program that cleans up your diet and lifestyle habits, and puts you on the right track for a healthier, more energized year.
Do you make sincere New Year’s resolutions to get healthier that never last longer than a week or two? Or decide to do a cleanse every January, and then go back to your wicked ways? It all starts with understanding why it’s so hard to change a habit.
Zombie Mode
Do you remember every single thing you did this morning? How about on your drive home? Probably not! We spend a lot of time in automatic mode, as zombies.
A habit is formed by doing something over and over again, to the point where it becomes automatic—zombie mode allows those habits to continue, without much thought or effort, like tying our shoelaces, or brushing our teeth. To change a habit—or create a new one—we first have to be present in what we are doing.
Junk-Free January is designed to bring old habits, and new, top of mind.
Practice Makes Perfect
It takes time, repetition, and quality sleep to get a new habit, skill, or concept to stick in long-term memory. Every time you think a thought, or do an activity, it becomes easier. A new habit takes daily practice to make it perfect and, eventually, becomes so easy, you even do it in zombie mode. Like riding a bike… There is no shortcut.
Think of meditation: this habit works best if you do it 5 to 20 minutes every day. Four hours on a Saturday just isn’t going to work…unless you’ve already perfected the skill.
Why We Procrastinate
Procrastination—putting off completing a project or trying a new yoga class—is a lot more common than we realize. The most common reasons:
- Lack of motivation when the task is seen as dull or unpleasant
- Skill deficit, or not knowing how to do something
- Lack of interest when the task is seen as boring or irrelevant
- Resistance or rebellion against imposed schedules, standards, and expectations
And, a fear of failure—a quiet fear, the type we don’t always notice. Tasks we don’t like to do stimulate our pain receptor areas, and then (understandably) we try to avoid pain.
Of course, the fear is often unjustified. We imagine a discomfort that’s going to happen, when in fact it’s likely to be a huge relief just to get the task done.
Sticking to what we already know can prevent us from moving forward and growing as a person. Those fears can be calmed by looking at a new task a little bit differently.
Focus on the Process
Instead of focusing on the outcome—a big goal that may seem too daunting—try to focus on the process, and the one little thing you can to do today to move you forward.
Those tiny, incremental steps are much less overwhelming than attempting a complete change in one step. Instead of aiming for A to Z all in one chunk, aim for A to C. Once at C, aim for E, and keep going.
Much less scary, and much more doable.
What teeny, tiny little step can you do right now to create a healthier habit?
Junk-Free January!
Come out to one of our workshops or book a free appointment with one of our Nutritionists to get started on your junk-free new year! Check out details on page 4 or online at www.naturesfare.com
Article was published in The Good Life magazine.
