On your path to creating the change you want, you have gained clarity about the change you want and you have made the commitments to self that will sustain you along that path. The third step requires you to establish new behaviors and habits. The change you want will not take place until you change the behaviors that are sabotaging that change. Do it differently is the constant battle cry of every Inside Out program. It is the point at which good information and good insight is transformed into dynamic experience. You can talk all you want about the change you want and what you think you need to do to create that change, but nothing will happen until you actually do it. Somewhere in the back of my mind I see the Nike slogan blinking on and off…just do it.
This is usually the moment in my programs where I say, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you always got.” Or, the definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different outcome.”
It seems that some of us think that if we have some awareness of the change we want, we will automatically attract that change to us without any real effort on our part. Sorry, until you act on the knowledge and awareness you have gained, nothing will change.
Establish New Routines
The key to overcoming old unhealthy habits is to create new routines. Habits are habits because we have repeated and reinforced behaviors over an extended period of time. They are ingrained.
So; if you want to change those unhealthy habits, it is crucial that you exchange the old habit with a new one.
Once again, reflecting on my diet, Christine and I have had to change what we eat and drink in our evenings. In the past we have drank wine or other assorted bevies to decompress and relax after busy days. That often led to eating something savory but unhealthy, like potato chips or popcorn with lots of salt and butter. It all felt like a much deserved reward for all the hard work, but definitely not healthy. So, we have developed a new habit in the evening after a healthy dinner we treat ourselves to high protein, low carbohydrate, low calorie desserts, like jello with whip cream. Not to get too technical but the difference is about 500 calories, 32 grams of carbs and 12 grams of fat. On the plus side we are getting about 15 more grams of protein.
We look forward to our healthy treat almost every evening.
Reinforce those Routines; Be determined and patient.
And, for the change to really stick, you have to stay with the new routines until they actually change the way you feel about yourself. It takes time and repetition to experience the physical, mental and emotional reward of a new habit.
I really did not like to give up some of the comfort foods that I enjoy so much when I am decompressing or just rewarding myself for hard work. Having to give up sugar for someone who has a sweet tooth is difficult; however, the longer I stayed with it, the less I craved sugar and the benefits to my physical, mental and emotional well being is undeniable. It took time, commitment and determination to stay with it but there was definitely a moment when I realized how much better I felt. And ultimately, all motivation is about how it makes me feel.
Terry
