Habits
I wanted to talk about Habits today, because this time of year, we often get excited and caught up about the big goals, plans and changes for we want happen.
I still think this is essential, however something just as important, if not more important, is to think about our habits.
The little things make all the difference and in fact incremental habit changes will help you reach those bigger goals.
I came across James Clear recently, the author of Atomic Habits.
I really loved some of his thoughts around habits and wanted to share them with you for some new year inspiration.
He talks about the 4 stages of habit formation.
- Noticing
- Wanting
- Doing
- Liking
I will talk about a couple of these topics. However you can watch the full video for the rest of the details here >> Atomic Habits // How to get 1% better each day – James Clear
And if you have time this is also a great video >> James’ Interview CBS Morning
I love how he says we should “optimise for the starting line” .
So often when it comes to goals, we think about the milestone, e.g. how much weight we want to loose, how well we want to play the guitar or how much money we want to earn etc, it’s all usually fixed for the finish line.
Whereas, if you can optimize for the starting line, make it as easy as possible for you to get started, then get your reps in, often the outcome is a natural result.
Some examples to help you to keep starting your online classes maybe
- To keep your Pilates mat out where you can see it.
- To improve your set up, so you can see the online classes easier, like buy an HDMI cable to attach your lap top to the TV or buy an iPad or iPhone stand hold your device on.
If you’re wanting to start a waking habit, get your running shoes out the day before ready for your walk the next morning.
There are many ideas to make starting any habit easier.
Changing Long Term Behaviour
Another great tip James discusses is “the best way to change long term behaviour, is with short term feedback” .
Often things like working out have delayed consequences. So we need to enjoy what we do along the way.
Here is a great way he recommends to manage this, so we get some rewards along the way.
Have a calendar up on your wall, and mark it with an X for each day you do the habit you’d like to achieve. Kind of like we do in the Core Fit Club, we have a monthly calendar which you can print out and follow or make your own from the blank one and fill out.
After a while we see when we continuously mark a X on a few days in a row. it means we have started a chain.
The goal is to then to not break the chain.
If you’re doing classes each day, for example it doesn’t matter how long the class is that you do, it can be 6 mins, it just matters you don’t break the chain. Seeing this continuous chain is your reward.
You can try this with anything, it can be your Pilates, a walk, stretch, gym session, some push ups, some step ups. It all adds up.
You can apply these principles to anything you do in life. Saving money, starting a hobbie, improving your eating habits. It’s all baby steps that make the difference.
Let me know if this was helpful in the comments below and what small habits you will set up to help you achieve the bigger goals?
Lots of love
Em x
‘If you can change your habits you can change your life’
‘Habits are the compound interest of self improvement’
‘We do not rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the level of our systems’
‘Habits take forever to build, as soon as we stop its no longer a habit. They’re not a finish line to be crossed but a lifestyle to live.We need to look for life style changes something we can sustain’
‘Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behaviour’ Often our habits are a reaction to the cues around us.
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