I’ll never forget when I first tackled changing my habits. I was overwhelmed, so I decided to start with just one tiny step. I had a tendency to try to change too many things at once. Every new year I vowed to eat healthy, exercise every day, take my vitamins and more. I tried to do too much, too hard, too fast. And wound up in exactly the same place a year later. Sound familiar? The most life changing habit was to choose only a few very small things and to stick to it. If it felt too big, then I chunked it down to something even smaller. Success begets success.
The key is to start so small that it feels almost too easy:
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Pick One Small Habit: Instead of saying, “I’m going to start exercising,” commit to doing one push-up a day.
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Anchor Your Habit: Pair it with something you already do, like brushing your teeth or making coffee. For example, I started my gratitude journaling habit by doing it right after my morning coffee.
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Celebrate Every Win: When you complete your habit, celebrate! That little dopamine hit reinforces the behavior and makes you want to do it again. For me, I tracked each win in my journal. This is now the Level Up Journal that I share in my book.