Standards come first, results follow
Football coach Bill Walsh, winner of three Superbowl's said "Champions behave like champions before they're champions; they have a winning standard of performance before they are winners."
What if we apply that principle to our health journey? What would it take to "win" at our health?
We can start with the end in mind. Our why. The reason we want to lose weight, get off medications, have more energy. "If great health and long life are not established as core values and an important part of someone's life plan, there is little chance that the person will succeed." (Pam Popper)
What is it that you tell yourself every day? Chronic negative self-talk can activate stress circuits in the brain, increase anxiety, and keep the nervous system on alert.
Pay attention to the stories you tell yourself. Write them down. For example: do you really have to purchase junk food and keep it in your house?
Changing old habits is not easy. It takes time and consistency. It takes time management. When you consistently carve out time for your health goals, what started as difficult becomes easier to maintain. It becomes automatic and second nature. It becomes comfortable.
Research shows that it takes between 15 and 254 days to form a new habit, depending on the person and the habit the person is trying to change or form. Since most of our worst habits were formed without conscious intention, it will take a lot of deliberate effort to replace thinking and behavioral patterns that have been practiced for years or decades.
But don't let that deter you! Think about all of the good reasons to persevere.
Think about all of the obligations you have in your life: your work, your family, etc. You make a commitment to show up for them. Responsibility for your own health means that you respect yourself enough to make that commitment.
The key to good habit formation and maintenance is repetition, which results from an established routine.
Ready to make changes? What is one thing that you can do for yourself today to start or stay on your health journey?
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