{"id":15971,"date":"2021-06-28T15:21:01","date_gmt":"2021-06-28T15:21:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/en-nl\/small-steps-big-changes\/"},"modified":"2021-06-30T13:02:47","modified_gmt":"2021-06-30T13:02:47","slug":"small-steps-big-changes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mindful.sodexo.com\/en-nl\/small-steps-big-changes\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Habits to Change Your Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.\u201d Aristotle<\/p>\n

You know when it\u2019s time to make a change in your life. You might see outward signs, like low energy, acne breakouts, or jeans that no longer fit. Or you may just know it, intrinsically. But a huge overhaul in your lifestyle can seem insurmountable, which may make you want to throw in the towel before you even start.<\/p>\n

Realize you can<\/em> do it. Change is good, and change is possible. The trick is not to focus on the end goal, which can be overwhelming, but to work toward big change by taking small steps. And of course, celebrating each success along the way.<\/p>\n

\u201cThink of the children\u2019s rhyme, \u201cLittle drops of water, little grains of sand, make the mighty ocean and the mighty land.\u201d Sounds simple, but it actually illustrates the major impact small changes can have on your life,\u201d says Patricia Farrell, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist in New York City. \u201cThe little things do count,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Depending on your end goal, be it weight loss, a vegetarian diet, or clean living, small, positive habits not only add to success, they give your body a needed boost in a positive direction. Plus, as you adopt these habits and really focus on them in a mindful way, you may find they bring joy in and of themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur daily habits and routines contribute to loftier personal goals and aspirations; they take us closer to our pursuit of purpose and meaning in life,\u201d says Kate Judd,\u00a0MRC, LAADC,\u00a0Program Director at\u00a0Shoreline Recovery Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how to incorporate small habits that will help move you closer to larger goals:<\/p>\n

Stop and reflect on each habit. Focus on how you benefit from each small change you adopt along the way. If you started walking for 30 minutes to lose 10 pounds for an upcoming wedding, instead of focusing on how great you\u2019ll look in your dress, think, \u201cWhen I walk, I have more energy. I\u2019m going to energize myself by walking a little more this week.\u201d Or, remind yourself of all the health benefits of walking, separate from weight loss. Walking improves cardiovascular health and fitness, reduces stress, helps you relax, and sets the stage for adding other healthful habits into your routine.<\/p>\n

Do what you love.<\/strong> It sounds so simple, but many of us fail to do it. When we spend time on habits we don\u2019t enjoy, we create negative self-feedback. Think of running on a treadmill. If you hate it, you\u2019ll dread doing it, time will slow down, and you\u2019ll hop off in a worse mental state than you were in before your workout began. Instead, try a run or walk in the park with a good friend. You\u2019ll immerse yourself in natural surroundings and good conversation, and the next thing you know, you\u2019ll be done. And you\u2019ll look forward to doing it again the next time.<\/em> The best kinds of healthy habits are the ones you enjoy, and therefore, actually do.<\/p>\n

Make good habits automatic<\/strong>. \u201cThe key to productivity and happiness is feeling safe in your Autonomic Nervous System (ANS),\u201d says Patricia Ashley, PhD, LPC, psychotherapist in Boulder, Colorado and author of Letters to Freedom<\/em>. \u00a0The ANS controls your bodily functions like heart rate, digestion, and breathing, unconsciously. Each small habit helps support your ANS and gives you knee-jerk positive coping tools, Dr. Ashley says. When you\u2019re under stress, your body goes into fight or flight, your mind doesn\u2019t think as clearly, and you\u2019re more likely to make poor choices. Once you\u2019ve solidified a healthful daily habit, you can more easily access that habit and make better decisions for yourself, both in and out of times of stress. Keep in mind, it takes an average of 66 days (a little over two months) for a habit to become automatic and a regular part of your day.<\/p>\n

Stop the bad before starting the good.<\/strong> Taking certain things out of your routine and adding new things at the same time can be daunting. Instead, slowly eliminate lifestyle factors you know are not good for you. For example, if you down a daily diet soda, take it away for a week. Once you\u2019ve broken that habit, replace it with something better, like a flavored seltzer or kombucha.<\/p>\n

Tie a new habit to an old one.<\/strong> Let\u2019s say you want to incorporate daily meditation to boost your immunity, support your mental health, and reap some of its many other health perks. \u201cStart by meditating for five minutes after you drink a cup of morning coffee or tea,\u201d Judd says. \u201cTo really connect the two, enjoy that morning cup of coffee in the same chair you plan to sit in for meditation, so you\u2019re ready to go,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/sup><\/p>\n

Get rid of the martyr mindset.<\/strong> We tend to resist doing things we feel coerced to do. Instead of telling yourself you have to adopt a new healthy habit, like eating at least five fruits and vegetables per day, tell yourself you want <\/em>to do it. Remind yourself of all the benefits you\u2019ll gain from upping your produce intake. A diet high in fruits in vegetables will help you lose weight, lower blood pressure, and prevent some diseases, including digestive problems and certain cancer types.<\/p>\n

Small habits are crucial to general well-being because they are the living embodiment of what we value, what we desire, and what we hope for.\u00a0 As you adopt small habits on the way to larger health goals, be patient. Turning lifestyle changes into real habits that stick takes diligence and time. Also be nice to yourself. Self-compassion will help you overcome failure and get up, dust yourself off, and try again as you incorporate new habits into your life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.\u201d Aristotle You know when it\u2019s time to make a change in your life. You might see outward signs, like low energy, acne breakouts, or jeans that no longer fit. Or you may just know it, intrinsically. But a huge overhaul […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[106],"tags":[190,332,228,151,145],"class_list":["post-15971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mindful-living-en-nl","tag-goals","tag-habits","tag-healthy-habits","tag-mindful-living","tag-mindfulness"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\r\nSmall Habits to Change Your Life - Mindful by Sodexo - Nederland Engels<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Small Habits to Change Your Life - Mindful by Sodexo - Nederland Engels\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cWe are what we repeatedly do. 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