Here are some of my best tips for creating a habit!
As with anything that we accomplish it starts with a decision. The decision to change something in our lives or to learn something new. For me, it was the decision to do something that would allow me to become centered, take time for myself and become a habit! So with the encouragement of a friend, I began to walk every morning at 5am.
Making it a habit took work, it required that I create a few other habits that would help me to create the walking habit. Here are the things that I do and the results that I have had from creating this one simple habit:
- If I am going to walk, it has to be early in the morning. No matter how much I think I can do it in the evening it never happens. I started first by getting up early. I have been an early riser for some time so this was not very hard. I just wake up early and do not need an alarm.
- I laid out everything that I needed to walk right next to the bed, so as soon as I wake up, I get dressed, grab some fruit, the dog and get out the door. No checking email, no doing anything, dress and go.
- I found a place that is nice to walk to and is close to home.
- I downloaded multiple e-books to listen to. I get very bored with music and start feeling all the little aches and pains that come when you first start walking. Audio books engage me and feed my mind. Many of the books I listen to are very positive spiritual books that feed my soul and help me to center.
- I downloaded a program to my phone called Nike+Running. It tracks my distance, my calories, my speed for each walk as well as a total accumulation. Today I am up to 580 miles and 53,000 calories. This encourages me when I see what I can achieve.
- I share my results daily with a friend who encourages me.
- I have the right gear, shoes, socks, clothes and any of the other things needed to be successful.
- If I am going to take a day off I plan it, I also listen to my body and take time off to avoid an injury.
My results, I hate to miss a walk, the time I take in the morning centers me for my day, it gets me focused and in a positive frame of mind. Physically, I have gone from a size 14 to a size 10 and I feel great. I have also learned that if I can create this kind of habit, then I can create more that will be equally good for me. It is just a matter of deciding to do it and then doing it. It has been a good 5 months!
