âMotivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.â (Jim Rohn)
As motivation wanes, as it inevitably does, it’s helpful to remember that motivation was a great catalyst to get that new habit started, but it’s now brain physiology that keeps it going, in the form of neural pathways. All habits, good and bad, create new neural pathways in the brain. Bad habits need to be overlaid while new habits create new pathways. This is why after the initial rush of motivation it can seem so tough to get that new habit to stick – there’s work involved – on a cellular level.
So what can help this change on a physiological as well as behavioural level?
- Starting small – BJ Foggâs groundbreaking book âTiny Habitsâ highlights the power of taking one tiny step toward your goal. My goal was nightly stretching. So I started with the habit of getting my exercise band out. That’s it. The first step is done! (Fist pump!) Then after a week, I started with one stretch, then added more each week. Of course, sometimes I couldn’t help myself and rushed through the whole exercise routine early on, but the actual win was taking the first step. Only taking small steps along the way would help lay down the pathways needed to be able to maintain them.
- Don’t judge yourself, be kind! This isnât always as easy as it sounds but be kind to yourself. If you forget one day, or are too sore, or overwhelmed, acknowledge it and move on. There is always tomorrow. Being non-judgemental helps you to not throw in the towel when the going gets tough.
- Make connections with an existing habit. This could be timing it with something like when you brush your teeth or make your morning coffee. For my new evening stretching habit, I already had a routine of watching TV after the kids were put to bed. So as soon as I left their room I then went into the spare room and picked up my exercise band that I use for stretching. This step initiates my extended routine and I could then do my stretches before or even while watching TV.
- Keep in touch with your support network. Check in with the people youâve shared your goal with, they can help keep you motivated and accountable.
- Celebrate your achievements as you go along and acknowledge these efforts. Giving yourself a mental high five or that fist pump I mentioned in step 1 is important. This is especially needed at the start as we are more likely to keep the habit up if we feel good about it.
- If you get stuck then do some reading about what has helped others and research your goal to find some of that excitement back again. There are some great books on the subject (âTiny Habitsâ and âThe Power of Habitâ are two favourites of mine).
At the end of the day, habits arenât only about routine activities, they also allow us to prioritise the things that matter. This is especially the case when focusing more on our health and wellbeing.
At Feel Amazing Wellness Centre, we also understand that time is precious. It does take time to receive individualised care and so we believe that much can be achieved during a 30-minute chiropractic session or in a 60-minute massage booking.
When you have an amazing team taking care of amazing people anything is possible.
Planning for Easter?
We will be closed on Friday 2 April but open for massage by appointment every other day over the Easter break. Book soon so you donât miss out, limited bookings still available!
Update on our Chiropractor Elijah
As some of you may have heard our adventurous chiropractor Elijah took a tumble and broke his elbow! Heâs on the path to recovery but will be off work for a few months. So we have a locum Aiden who is working Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
About Aiden our locum Chiropractor
Aiden became interested in the chiropractic field during his schooling years where he found a unique passion for human anatomy. He has a strong sporting background and has competed in high level swimming, soccer, and martial arts events. This allowed Aiden to develop a greater understanding of the athlete mindset and injuries commonly associated with each sport.
Aiden also has chiropractic sporting experience after being involved with Sports Chiropractic Australia (SCA) where he assisted with on-field assessments, pre and post game treatments and general first aid treatment for the Rydalmere Lions FC, Macquarie University Rugby and Macquarie University AFL teams.
Aiden believes strongly in the importance of effective and informative communication with each patient he treats. He strives to align his treatment approach with the most current evidence-based chiropractic methods to ensure that each and every one of his patients receive the best level of care possible.