When inspiration strikes to take on a new challenge or make some positive changes, it’s a beautiful thing! You’re excited, and you start creating the perfect plan to accomplish what you’re setting out to do. At the beginning, when you are full of motivation, even tough things feel easier to do. But as the weeks go by, inevitably life starts to get in the way and before you know it, that “perfect plan” has gone out the window.
Sound familiar? Hey, we’ve all been there! The truth is, relying on motivation alone isn’t enough, because motivation comes and goes. This is where habits and skills come to the rescue!
Let’s take consistent training as an example. For so many of us, the motivation to exercise isn’t something we feel all the time. We might feel excited about training as a new year kicks off, or when we are participating in a challenge, but that feeling can dissipate for a variety of reasons. If it’s cold and gloomy in the morning, you might not “feel” like getting up to train when the alarm goes off. If you’ve had a stressful day at work, you might feel more “inspired” to hit happy hour with your co-workers than hit the gym.
However, when getting to the gym a few times a week becomes a habit that is regularly part of our lives, we can do a much easier job of continuing to show up even when motivation might be lacking. How do we get better at creating habits? By taking small actions that help us practice skills that support the habits we want to have.
For example, so many of our members have the consistent habit of getting to the gym three days a week, which is supported by practicing the skill of showing up even if they don’t necessarily “feel” like it. That skill could be supported by a variety of small actions- like having set training appointments instead of just hoping to fit their workouts in somehow, or not hitting the snooze button in the morning, or getting organized the night before so there is less to do the next day.
Of course this process of actions, skills and habits doesn’t just apply to training! It works for anything and everything from other health and fitness topics like nutrition and recovery, to financial goals, to creative pursuits. When motivation isn’t there, habits help us keep taking care of ourselves, help us keep moving forward, and help us remember our value.
Truthfully, those moments when we just aren’t feeling it are the times we need our self-care habits even more. I have worked over the years to develop some mindfulness/mindset habits for myself, but there are definitely days when I don’t “feel” like doing them. Fortunately, I have small actions built into my life that give me a moment to pause and practice my skills, so I can stay consistent with my habits. For example, I take the action every evening of lighting some candles to unwind at the end of the day, and that action reminds me of practicing the skill of gratitude. The days I’m not feeling especially grateful are assuredly the days I need to remind myself how much I have to be grateful for.
Small Actions
Help us Practice Skills
That Support our Habits
It’s pretty simple, but that doesn’t mean easy. If there is something you’ve been wanting to accomplish, or a change you’ve been wanting to make and motivation keeps fading, don’t give up. Just find one small action you can take to help you practice skills that support the habits you want in your life. You’ve got this!