A recurring theme for me this year has been habits.
Specifically, establishing productive ones. It has been my goal since January to establish good work habits so that I can stay on top of running and growing my small business(es) in ways that feel doable, fun and successful.
After returning from a two week trip in Italy (I know, lucky me!), I was feeling, for lack of a better word, gross.
My two glorious weeks in Italy included daily doses of pasta and wine. I came home feeling heavy, bloated, tired and unmotivated. I knew I needed to get back to the gym and healthy eating but the drive just wasn't strong enough to overpower jet lag and sugar cravings.
What if I could do something easy? A small "micro-habit" that would get me going in the right direction?
Well, the jet lag served me well here and I found myself doing a 10 minute yoga practice at 5am Monday morning. And again on Tuesday.
Tuesday I had a call with my group coaching program The Studio. I led the members through a mini workshop that frankly I needed myself as well. Again focusing on habits, but even more so getting clarity first on where you want to direct your energy.
This workshop had us get clear on what we REALLY wanted. For me it was confidence.
What I am going to say next is nothing but a whole lot of good news...
- Establishing a micro habit (something you can get done easily in 5 minutes or less each day) and sticking with it WILL. BUILD. CONFIDENCE.
- The easier the habit the better. Because no matter how easy it is, there will be days when it feels hard. On those days you have to just suck it up and do it anyway. I promise you won't regret it.
- RESULTS HAPPEN FAST! I'm currently on day 3 of my early morning yoga habit. Which, by the way, is a commitment to do at least 5 minutes of yoga every morning before coffee. 5 minutes. When I decided to establish this habit I had negative thoughts around "what difference could 5 minutes of yoga actually make?" But here's what I realized - it has already made a HUGE difference. Not physically, but in my confidence. Already. 3 days in. And that just confirmed that what I really want out of this is the confidence. Not to lose 10 pounds, not to be able to put my feet behind my head. Just to feel good in my own skin. To feel empowered and connected to my body. To LIKE my body and appreciate her strength and beauty just as she is. I swear, all of that has already happened. Three. Days. In.
So I'm naming these kinds of habits "happiness habits".
Here’s the thing about habits, you just need one tiny one to start with so start really small. Once you prove to yourself that you can keep your word and stick with this habit, it builds confidence and you will see that coming through in other areas of your life. There is a ripple effect. So don't worry about how this tiny thing might not have enough impact. The easier the better. The impact will be greater than you think.
Here's a little snippet of the workshop I led The Studio members through yesterday:
We started with these journal prompts:
-
What do I REALLY WANT? - What’s the first word that pops into your head? What does that mean to you? What does that look like?
-
What are the feelings that come with that?
-
What do I really want? Write the words that come up now.
Then look for key feelings, repeating words, meaningful ideas... pick one
-
What would give you that? What could you do for 5 minutes or less each morning? Or what is one small daily change you could make?
This could be your new Happiness Habit!
Let me know if you are going to try it! Pro tip - set up a way to track it (i'm writing it on my kitchen calendar every day when I finish) and stick with it for at least 21 days.
I'll be posting my own updates on instagram , so make sure to follow along if you're not already.
Good luck, you got this!
Anne
ps. Interested in learning more about The Studio? You can do that here, or schedule a free chat with me here. Enrollment is always open and you are welcome to join us anytime!