How to Establish new Habits
Discover the power of intentional habit formation with these practical strategies. From understanding your motivations to building habit-supporting routines, this guide provides insights into transforming your life. Learn how to anchor habits to existing routines, seek support for accountability, and create a mindset focused on progress, not perfection.
establish your “why”
Understand the reason behind creating a new habit and the intentions driving this new behavior. When setting habits, ensure they're connected to your inner self – your goals and core values – rather than being driven by societal pressures or tied to limiting beliefs.
You can establish your "why" and intentions by pinpointing your desired emotions. Ask yourself: Why do I want to adopt this habit? How will it impact my emotions? What's my core desired feeling and how does this habit contribute? For instance, if you're aiming to meditate daily and your core desired feeling is morning tranquility, every thought of your meditation habit will remind you how it aligns with how you want to feel – a much stronger motivation!
anchor or habit stack
When adding a new habit, start by linking it to something you already do daily. Use this formula: After or before (current habit), you will (new habit).
For instance, let's say you're aiming to walk each morning and you already make coffee when you wake up. To anchor habits, make your coffee and then immediately take your walk.
Habit stacking works because it speeds up updating your routine, unlike randomly placing the new habit in your day where you might forget. This method is highly effective for small changes like drinking water, journaling, or working out.
seek support
Inform your online circle, a partner, friend, or trusted person that you're adopting a new habit. Their support and accountability are invaluable. Sharing might feel intimidating, but it raises your chances of success by 65% in creating the habit or reaching your goal.
For a stronger commitment, your success odds shoot up to 95% with regular check-ins discussing your progress. Impressive, right? This is why people like you seek certified coaches – to clarify their "why," establish actionable strategies, and nearly guarantee success in conquering fears and achieving goals.
For individual accountability, you can also use a Habit Tracker, available under the resources tab.
build habit-supporting routines
Identify changes needed in your overall life to accommodate the new habit. Consider how the habit impacts your bigger goals.
For instance, if you're aiming to journal every morning, adjusting your bedtime might be necessary to ensure you still get enough sleep. Or, preselect your workout clothes the night before to increase the likelihood of attending your workout class the next day.
The key is to set yourself up for success, making it easier to stick to your plans while reducing decision fatigue. This way, you increase the odds of successfully forming your desired habits.
progress > perfection
While we can't control external factors that might arise, your mindset and approach towards habits are entirely within your control. And keep in mind, as I often mention, progress is about taking action, even if not perfect. So, as long as you're taking small steps daily towards your habits, you're moving forward!
Coaching offers a safe and nurturing space to help you cultivate habits aligned with your desired life. Ready to take the next step? Book a free Consultation Call below.
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