Habits are an interesting thing. You don’t think about them – you just do them as you go. Until you experience obstacles. And they can be the most pleasant of obstacles. Like going on a holiday, a large piece of chocolate cake or a large retail discount for that dress you saw on the window. Doing things out of the ordinary can be a great adventure. It can be also challenging.
This past weekend I went to Northern Ireland. I don’t do holidays often and it is always great to break the mould! There is however an aspect of going away I struggle with and that is keeping up with my morning routine. It is something I am always trying to keep up with, because it gives me the opportunity to be disciplined and being disciplined with yourself is important, because it applies to many aspects of your life.
James Clear - an expert on behaviour change, teaches that people tend to break their habits if they miss to do something, they would usually do, more than 2 days in a row – when trying to build a habit. That’s why diets can fail when they are not seen as a lifestyle change but as a temporary thing. His advice is that while you can break a habit for one day, getting back to it the following day is of great importance.
And since building a habit takes quite a while to build – being meticulous is important.
So here I am – it is Monday morning and after 2 days of broken morning routine I got back to it – mostly! Despite the short flight - the jet lag or, perhaps all the excitement that comes with seeing new places, got to me. So, everything I would normally do on a Monday morning I did a little later. I thought I would feel odd about it and be hard on myself, but I am actually glad that I am back to my routine and haven’t broken it completely. There is an opportunity to grow and create habits every day and it starts with a conscious decision.
And here is the fashion part of this post, which it seems - so far – has nothing to do with fashion whatsoever! I see many people trying to not go and buy cheap clothes from retail giants, I see people getting creative and trying to build new habits, adopt sustainable lifestyle, do their bit. And it can be hard and challenging. And it takes a long time.
Is this you? Or have you never thought about it? The good news is that every day is an opportunity to start a new habit or to continue building one. Even if this past weekend you feel you have fallen off the wagon – you can always jump back on it! Be disciplined but nurture your positive habit building actions with a pat on the back. You’ve got this! Every day is an opportunity and Monday is the best one of them all!
Happy Monday and keep sailing forward!
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