Routine is a major force in our lives. Doing something the first time is hard, doing it
the thousandth is mindless.
~ Scott H. Young
Most of what you do on a daily basis is out of habit and that includes overeating and other unwanted habits. You've practiced your bad habits so often, they're now automatic and effortless, or what I call your default
behavior.
When changing your habits, you have to practice new behaviors until they become your new default. The key is daily practice. To encourage daily practice, in the beginning, keep goals small, sweet, and doable. Once you’ve gotten comfortable with them, you can add more later.
For
example, a 10-15 minute walk every day is far better than an occasional half hour walk. A daily walk, no matter how short, starts to create the pattern in your brain that you're now a walker. You can build on that pattern.
You’re more likely to be consistent and successful if you begin with small steps. If it isn’t sustainable, you won’t be able to maintain the momentum. It’s also important to
celebrate your small victories along the way. If you’re too focused on your long term goals, you’ll never feel like you’re doing enough and that kills motivation.
Real change happens slowly, it’s more of an unfolding, and you may not even notice it’s happening until you get a little further down the road and can look back and
see how far you’ve come. Each day, you need to affirm your small efforts towards change. This is how you keep your motivation and momentum going.
