Many people today are concerned about their health and are eager to eat right and exercise more. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, as many of us have trouble making lasting changes. People today often take on too much at one time. Others are so engrossed in their work and family-life, they don’t feel they have time to breath. It is no wonder you might feel overwhelmed. Although sticking with a diet or exercise plan is important, you might find yourself quitting, cheating or procrastinating with your goals. Yet, goals can be just what you need for change and to stay on track. The key is to make lasting change with small steps.
In fact, Sean Young, in his book, Stick with It A Scientifically Proven Process for Changing Your Life—for Good, tells us”‘Goals are key.’ You need to focus on completing small, concrete goals to calibrate the mind. That will make change more likely to last.”¹ “To make the quickest progress, you don’t have to take huge leaps. You just have to take baby steps—and keep on taking them.“² I guess we all can benefit and make progress from putting one foot in front of the other.
In his book, Young outlines seven forces of lasting change in a framework he calls SCIENCE, which is based on thousands of validated, scientific studies. Let’s take a look at the framework and some examples of how you can apply it to make some lasting changes in your life.
7 Forces of Lasting Change
S: STEPLADDERS—It’s a proven fact that people have a better chance of sticking with a goal, when they take small steps, rather than incorporating a lot of changes from the start. For example, if you want to eliminate sugar from your diet, it is best to start with one item at a time. Why not focus on eliminating that sugar-filled soda pop to start? You can start by weaning yourself off it, rather than going cold turkey. If you are used to drinking a large 20 oz. bottle a day, start by drinking only half and throwing the rest out. When your body adjusts, cut that amount in half again and keep going, until you no longer desire it. You can also make a substitutions. If you like the carbonation, replace your daily soda with a sparkling water or kumbucha. When you’ve successfully eliminated the soda pop, pick another sugar-filled food item to focus on. Most people have a much easier time eliminating sugar, when they start small and build from there.
C: Community—It is much easier to stick with a goal, when you have a support group to help you. If you want to lose weight, or exercise more, why not find a friend who wants to do the same, or one who already eats healthy and incorporates daily exercise? You can also join a Facebook Group or some other online group to share your journey, healthy recipes and everyday experiences.
I: IMPORTANT—If you want to live a healthier life-style, there is no question that this needs to be important to you. If want to make health a priority in your life, your reason should be clear and you need to adjust your life accordingly.
E: EASY—If you want to obtain a healthy life-style, you need to make it easy to arrive at your destination. For example, if you want to make more meals at home, make sure you find easy recipes to try. After-all—cooking does not need to be hard or complicated. There are plenty of healthy recipes out there that are super-easy to make and only contain a few ingredients. Why not search Pinterest for easy recipes that appeal to you? When you get comfortable cooking, you can always explore recipes that are a little more complicated.
If you want to add more exercise in routine, find something you like and is easy to do. Walking is a great place to start. The more you move your body, the easier exercise should become. If you don’t like walking, find something else you like to do. In my book, Wholey Cow A Simple Guide To Eating And Living, I talk about looking back at your childhood to find an exercise you like, such as basketball, jump-rope or hula hooping.
N: NEUROHACKS—People need to make a conscious effort to change their actions and then their minds will naturally follow. Act as if you already lost 10 pounds and feel great and look better. (i.e. You can have your new jeans already picked out.)
C: CAPTIVATING—Make your rewards special. Why not reward yourself with a special trip, or go see a show you’ve been dying to see? It takes time and effort to achieve your health goals. You owe yourself a little self-care and special treatment, especially after you reach a health goal.
E: ENGRAINED—It takes time to achieve changes and goals. The best way to attain what you want is by repetition. Repetition helps you en-grain your brain for lasting change. Repeat…REPETITION, REPETITION, REPETITION!
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Source:
¹“Stick with It | Optimize. Optimize Every Facet of Your Life. Actualize Your Potential.” Optimize – Your Potential. Actualized., www.optimize.me/philosophers-notes/stick-with-it-sean-young/.
²“Search | Optimize. Optimize Every Facet of Your Life. Actualize Your Potential.” Optimize – Your Potential. Actualized., www.optimize.me/search/small+steps/philosophers-notes.
