- Find your Why
Finding your why is absolutely imperative in changing your health, and it’s not something I can answer for you–because everyone will have their own why. It’s the answer to why healthy living is important for you. But I can tell you that without finding your why, getting healthy and staying healthy will never be a true priority for you.
Once you take time out and look for the answers and find one, you can commit to it. And that’s when magic will happen. Let’s talk about finding your why: Is it your family, your grandkids, your purpose? Your passion? Take time and get very clear what your life is all about and how staying healthy and getting healthy will help that why.
Then raise the stakes! Make sure you make it a must not” I will try” kind of attitude. I want you to succeed so make it a must.
- Find where things are going wrong
Take a deep look at your daily habits. Write them down! Now, what are the routines that are not supporting your health? You might know some of this anyway, especially if there is a daily habit that is obviously not good for you, like smoking. But some habits you might not even realize you are doing. For example, now that you work from home, you may grab a cookie or some chips from the cabinet. What once started off as a once a week treat now might be happening 3-4 it!
Ask your family and friends about your habits, because there are some you probably don’t even realize.
- Start small
Pick one habit to change every month. Do not overwhelm yourself with changing everything all at once. That is a surefire way to fail! Instead, pick one habit per month. For instance, if you know you are not getting enough water, commit that you will drink one gallon of water a day. This might be a hard habit to incorporate, and require planning to get all your water in. However, once you start doing it, stick with it all month.
- Find an accountability partner
Everything in life is better with a friend. Since you now have a habit that you want to work on, find an accountability person that will help you and hold you accountable. A good person might be your spouse, your kids or a friend.
For me as I must get results I have hired a coach and paid them and this way I have gotten results and I feel proud of myself for success. This should be someone who will but also be kind to you, sometimes giving you a tough love, honest when they see you are not changing the habits that you wanted to change. Having an accountability partner/Coach is great because you can report to them via a text or phone call, and they can help you feel motivated.
- Plan and Prioritize
You can’t just say you want to change something but then not make a plan on exactly how you will do that. Let’s say you want to drink a gallon of water a day: help yourself out by keeping a water bottle by your bedside so when you wake up you drink that water right away.
Then, when you are finished with your shower, have some at your sink so you can drink that. Take a water bottle when you step out of the house, keep on at your work desk. Use your smartphone to give you a reminder to drink water every 30 minutes.
- Take time to celebrate
Take time to celebrate every day when you have kept your promise to your health. In the same way, if you miss a day or make a mistake and don’t stick to your health promise, don’t beat yourself up. Ask for support and help.
This is a journey– so enjoy the journey with all of its detours and setbacks. As long as you have made it a must and have an accountability partner, and are planning and prioritizing your health, you will succeed.