One easy way to change the way you think about healthy habits

When it comes to thinking about healthy habits, for most people, the loudest and most persuasive voice in their head is a negative one. We fill our head with thoughts such as...

I should have gone to the gym today.

I shouldn’t have eaten that chocolate bar.

Why did I drink so much alcohol with the business dinner last night?

Why do I spend so much time scrolling on social media?

I wish I’d gone to bed earlier last night.

It can be relentless. And exhausting.  

So you resolve to stop being so hard on yourself. 

But then you quickly fall back into familiar thought patterns and ‘I shouldn’t be so hard on myself’ becomes yet another part of the internal dialogue that saps your energy. 

All of this does not create to the best circumstances for executing great work or being an inspiring leader. 

Or for living an enjoyable life. 

But things can be different.

What if running a constant commentary on behaviours you feel negatively about is not the most effective way to live?

It all really means is that the negative behaviours take up a lot of space in your head and you’re continually reinforcing the current negative way of thinking. 

Replacing the negative thoughts is way more effective than telling yourself not to let them affect you so much. If you practice becoming a bit more selective with what you choose to fill your head with, the negative stuff has less and less space to exist. 

So try this today. Even if it is just for one day, you’ll notice the difference it makes.  

Write down ALL of your positive contributions to healthy living. 

Things like:

• I got some fresh air (which is what I'm doing in the photo for this note)

• I took a break

• I went for a quick walk

• I did a few minutes of stretching 

• I took some deep breaths

• I ate a piece of fruit

• I read one page of my novel

• I drank some water

• I connected with a friend / colleague

By practicing this one simple process you achieve 4 things.

1. You programme your mind to acknowledge positives rather than focus on negatives. Any time you focus on these actions for a few moments you can enjoy feelings of satisfaction and control.

2. You programme your mind to think of things that you can do to expand your daily list. And then you (consciously or unconsciously) engineer opportunities to make them happen. 

3. As your daily list grows, you grow in confidence.

4. You enjoy the sense of achievement, you feel better and your internal dialogue changes to support you in your quest for health and optimum performance. By noting down all the positive things you are doing, you'll be motivated to do more. By changing how you think, you'll be amazed at the many ways in which this will inspire you to change the ways you behave. And your daily results will be way more positive.

   
   

5. In time, talking to yourself positively will become your default position.