Change is hard, but change is also good.

 

Change means you have to do something new and different.  This will likely take some adjusting, and that’s okay.

 

Your brain thrives on consistency and routine.

 

Why?  When your brain knows what you are going to do, it feels confident that you will be safe.

 

The goal of your primitive human brain is to make sure you survive.  While humans have evolved significantly since the dawn of the human species, many principles of your brain’s network remain the same.

 

Your brain loves routine because it has built up stacks of evidence to show that this series of actions you have been taking will keep you safe.

 

When you add something new and different into the mix, alarm bells go off.  Your brain is saying, “Wait a minute, we don’t know how this is going to turn out.  Are you sure we should be doing this?”

 

Resistance to change is natural, but the good news is persistence creates a new routine.

 

Consistency in your new actions gives your brain new evidence that these new habits are still going to keep you safe, so it’s okay to automate the sequence.

 

Have you ever tried to make a change to your healthy living routine?

 

Let’s say you want to start a new exercise plan…

 

The first day of waking up when it is still dark out and going to the gym is HARD.

 

It hurts and it’s uncomfortable.  The gym feels like the absolute last place you want to be.  When you come home and you’re tired and you’re sore for days.

 

The first day of putting on your sneakers and going for a walk after dinner is HARD.

 

Sitting on the couch would be so much easier right now rather than going out in the cold to take a walk.

 

How about trying to start a new eating plan?

 

The first week of grocery planning and meal prepping is time-consuming and HARD.

 

There are a million other things you could be doing right now.  You can just go to the store and decide what you need while you are there, right?

 

Making changes to your routine is hard because it takes you outside of your comfort zone.

 

Healthy lifestyle changes are hard because it often takes time to the see the fruits of your labor.

 

The human brain thrives on instant gratification.

 

In a world with so much opportunity for instant gratification (thank you technology), it is even more uncomfortable when you have to wait for something.

 

With many healthy lifestyle habits, you see little to no immediate results or instant gratification.

 

It can be SO HARD to delay gratification for weeks or even months before you start to see some results – especially when the work is uncomfortable.

 

But…

 

The more you go to the gym or take that walk or prep your meals, the easier it gets.

 

When we repeatedly do a task, it gets easier and easier.  You are rewiring your brain network to help you with this new routine.  Your brain learns the new lines with repetition.

 

Momentum carries momentum.

 

How can you help your brain embrace the change quicker?

 

Here are three ways…

1. Make a plan

When you are trying to make habit changes, making a plan is the best place to start.  Setting a goal (or a plan) is like punching in the coordinates of the new destination into your GPS.  It is much easier to get where you want to go if you have a route to follow, right?

 

2. Start small

Healthy lifestyle change is big and scary and overwhelming.  Breaking that big goal of living a healthier lifestyle down into smaller pieces make the journey more manageable.

When you have your GPS set to your destination, you can’t just jump from where you are now to where you want to go.  As much as we wish teleportation was a thing, follow the directions one at a time is the only way to get to your destination.  Turn left here, continue for 2 miles, take a right at the stop sign, etc.

The same strategy is true for your healthy habit goals.  It is much easier to get to your desired end-goal if you follow shorter steps, one at a time.

 

3. Grant yourself permission to be imperfect

Change means you are entering into uncharted territory.  You are not going to be perfect in your new habits all the time, and that’s okay.

Life is not perfect, so you should not expect yourself to be.  You are going to experience some setbacks when you are making changes, but remember that these are learning experiences that your brain uses to gather evidence as to the best way to be successful in your new routine.

Grant yourself permission to experience setbacks.  These setbacks are not the end of the road.  Sometimes you run into construction that is not on the map.  Reaching a “Road Closed” sign does not mean you have to go home.  It simply is a chance to reset, look around you, and decide the best direction to go in order to continue toward your destination.

 

Here is a friendly reminder, you can do HARD things!

 

“The secret to change is to focus not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”  ― Socrates

 

Would you like some expert support and guidance to help you work through the hard things?

Check out my 1:1 Healthy Habits Transformation program!

I’m here to help you simplify the journey toward living a healthier lifestyle.  I’ve got tons of tips and tools that will help you accomplish your healthy living goals.

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