Tiny Habits Heading Into The New Year
Identity Habits For Happiness
Little habits turn into true change.
Having been in this worldwide time out for almost a year, I know many of us are starting to go stir crazy. When I have a lot of time on my hands my thoughts can take me down crazy bunny trails. Many of us have had to transition to work from home and have kids who are doing school on line. Both of those realities can cause stress and even a lack of time. I have talked to many business owners who have had to reinvent the way they do business. Big time pivots.
I have been immersing myself in learning more about the science of happiness and how to create some “happy” habits. I would guess that almost all of us have had our normal schedules and habits turned upside down.
I wanted to give some super easy and helpful tips that anyone can easily do to help stay forward thinking and even happy. And they come just in time for the New Year. Today’s tip comes from a fabulous book by James Clear called Atomic Habits.
He talks about “identity habits”. Every action we take, no matter how small, is a vote for the type of person you are. Or the type of person you want to be. And can make a big difference in turning us in the right direction. Small, simple steps, one at a time.
For example, the simple habit of making your bed in the morning can be a powerful vote for you being the type of person who is clean and organized. Every time you see your bed during the day, it is a reminder of that.
Do just 30 seconds of planking and you can be the type of person who does planks. Do one or two push ups or take a 15-20 minute walk and that is a vote for you being someone who exercises, especially if you do not exercise regularly.
If you have always wanted to write a book, start writing just one paragraph a day. Want to start to journal? Start with just a quick few sentences every day. If you have wanted to learn a language, start with just learning a few words a day. The small simple habits may well turn into doing a minute of planking, a page or a chapter of writing, or even becoming conversant in a new language.
It’s funny, but starting small seemingly insignificant tiny habits more often become bigger and more expanded habits. New Year’s resolutions are almost always the opposite. I know I have made some grandiose resolutions only to have quit them before the middle of January. It seems counter intuitive, but the pressure of a big goal is easy to find excuses not to do. But a small seemingly insignificant and yet doable one can lead to bigger and bigger goals.
Did you know that learning something new is also good for your brain?
Bad habits work the same way. We can either be a victim or creator of our habits. It doesn’t take much to start small habits which are a VOTE for who you want to be. Pick one small habit to start with today and once you do it, give yourself a pep talk about how you are a person who exercises, or a writer or who is clean and organized. Do it every day for a month and see where it takes you.
I imagine you will be a vote for exactly who you want to be before you know it!