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Create Your Own Habit
Blog | September 01, 2014
Jesse is a typical example of what it means to be a creature of habit. Everyday is somehow based around his habits that make him feel comfortable. We’re all creatures of habits whether we realize it or not. I wasn’t a big fan of going to Starbucks everyday at first, but I was willing to become a part of Jesse’s routines that were so important to him. Now, I realize the emotional attachment I have for Starbucks after almost 3 years of going to the same place with the person that means the world to me. That said, I was the one wanting to try different coffee shops when we went to New York, however I wasn’t successful at convincing Jesse to change the pace. Why would you want to try something new and risk being disappointed, if you can have exactly what you expect?
I couldn’t really argue with him, because I have my own habits that are important to me. We all do. My habit is the way I workout. I love working out at home and doing short intense circuits, because it’s been working for me for over 7 years. I just don’t like going to the gym. I wouldn’t change that for nothing, because it makes me feel comfortable and I consider that to be a positive thing that makes my life better.
I did have some bad habits in the past, that I had to get rid of. Believe it or not, I used to be a chain smoker. I had been using cigarettes to calm myself down and in all social situations. I started smoking when I was 20 and stopped when I turned 25. It wasn’t easy to stop and the only thing that helped me was to really accept the fact that I’m hurting myself and everyone around me. I had to think about all the negative effects smoking had on my body, my health, my skin and even relationships. Every habit is a baggage that not everyone is going to be willing to put up with. I trained myself so well to resent smoking that now I can’t be anywhere near it. It really bothers me.
Another habit of mine is to drink my tea and coffee unsweetened. It wasn’t always like that. There was a time when I couldn’t even imagine not to put sugar into my favorite beverages, but I trained myself and created a new habit, that turned into personal preference. The reason why I’m sharing this with you is to instigate creation of new healthy habits that will help you to reach your goals faster. Whether you want to lose weight, shape up your body, become stronger, or just improve your life in general, your habits is what will either slow you down or make you really successful.
I want to give you the encouragement and let you know, that you can get used to anything, and once you do, you’ll start to identify with it and it becomes your second nature.
What are the habits that you’d like to create for yourself? Do you want to start waking up earlier and do you workouts first thing in the morning? Do you want to cut sugar completely out of your diet? Or maybe you want to start running every evening? Anything is possible. You can create any habit you want and eventually fall in love with it, no matter how hard it seems. You just have to start now and push yourself through the first month, before you can expect it to feel comfortable. Stay patient, consistent, and believe that you can do it.
Best,
Z.
Private Member |
Starbucks just sucks you in. Every time I visit US I just go there every day, even though I don’t really enjoy it: the coffee is not good and the food is too sweet. Just can’t help it.
Private Member |
I was the same way with teas and other beverages. I used to put two teaspoons of sugar in every cup. Actually in general I ate a lot of sugar. You don’t even feel it because you are so used to it. Every time when I heard about someone drinking tea without sugar I thought I could never do it. Now, it would be too sweet for me. I don’t enjoy sugar much anymore. Fruit is just enough 🙂
Private Member |
Thank you for sharing this zuzka! Makes me feel a lot better
Personally I wish I could get up early enough for a Early morning workout. I already get up at six so a 5 am wake up is a tall order!
Private Member |
Oops almost forgot. I bet Hawaiian coffee could make Jesse forget Starbucks. It really was a small piece of heaven to drink that in Honolulu!
Private Member |
Due to work shaping my sleeping pattern. When i wake up, my goals are shaped by the days before activities. I would like not matter what happened day before to not set the intensity of my ambition. No matter the size of my goal.They all should be equally important and reachable. not sure were to start.
Private Member |
Thank you for this encouragement! It really means a lot to me right now…I’m trying to cut out alcohol and sugar from my diet for a month starting today September 1st. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day where I can be proud of myself for making these changes. It helps to read things like this from you Z! I admire you and have been following you for about 3 years now and I appreciate all you do! Thank you very much!
Private Member |
I eat like a saint during the day and do 2 workouts daily yet in the evening I tend to just want to eat everything bad for me in the house and I feel I am undoing all my hard work from the day in one go!
I am working on changing this slowly and surely 🙂
Private Member |
Yvonne, start by accepting yourself just the way you are – also your “dark” side…
Private Member |
Like you Zuka, I manage to give up smoking, kick sugar & milk from my coffee, but for the life of me there are some food habits I can’t seam to kick. I have tried a variety of things to change bad food habits, but no change. If i think back to when I quit smoking, it came down to REALLY wanting to quit, telling myself I have had enough, no more, i’m done with it, making that choose to make change. so maybe this is the talk i need to have with myself about unhealthy foods habits.
Private Member |
Yes, habits can be hard to break, but it´s possible. Recently, I have changed a couple of my habbits. At the spring, I finally got back to my normal, natural eating habbit, after fighting through few years with ” this is the way to eat if you want to stay fit”. With that I mean eating small portions 5-6 times per day. When I was younger, eating 3 times per day was completely normal to me. Now I´m back with that. So maybe that is actually going back to an old habbit! =D Also, during the summer, I began training only fasted, the first thing in the morning. It was so hot at the day time; the morning was pretty much the coolest moment of the day, so it was perfect time for training. And I absolutely fell in love with this style! Now I hardly never workout any other time. And yes, this system works great for me! Looking leaner and stronger than ever. =D
Private Member |
Well done on giving up smoking. As a person who gave up smoking after two years going onto my second pack a day, I also mentally prepared myself for that transition, as yours was mentioned.
I am still a creature of habit, and instilling healthy habits are very important. I think some do not see the need as much as others like myself who know about how easy habits do form.
There are safe habits and bad habits, 4he more good nabits we have, the less of the other will be an issue.
This poses a threat on existing ones. Lol!
So I guess it does take time, convicing, and just the right amount of enthusiasm from someone else to get that bolder to budge!
So my challenge to Jesse would be to learn a new habit if he wants to maintain an oldie! 😉