You Are What You Do, and Not What You Say You'll Do.

Imagine you're talking with a friend about habits. Your friend says she'd like to be more active and start running again. Now that the weather is nice outside, the flowers are in full bloom, and she knows how much better she feels when she works out. But she's just "too busy" .
You probably know this feeling too. Endless to-do lists of work tasks, your apartment could use a proper spring cleaning, and your family has some activities planned. And what about new habits? No time.

And yet: we forget that being busy isn't the problem, but the way we spend our time.

What we achieve and what we don't - that's for us alone to decide.

Let Me Tell You Something

It's a matter of prioritizing and allocating time. Sometimes we have to bite the bullet, which either means setting limits at work or spending less time there, even if that means the possible promotion takes a few weeks longer. Or - much better: structuring our free time better, which means consistently discarding things that don't actually offer us any added value.

A Few Examples

1. Take a look at your cell phone stats.
   I'm pretty sure that by reducing the amount of time you spend on social media, you'd have at least 30 minutes to jog outside, change clothes, and shower. So you'll be a runner, and not just talk about it.
2. How long do you sleep in the morning? Do you sleep in because you drink too much caffeine or watch too many series? Although running in the morning is not for everyone, getting up earlier can also mean you finish your chores sooner and have some time for a workout.
3. How often do you meet people because you think you should, rather than because you want to? Have you ever thought about asking your friend to go for a run with you instead of going out for coffee? (I know some of my readers are already meeting up to workout; yay to that. )
   

Many people have good ideas - but those who are successful have one thing above all: discipline and habits that make their lives a lot easier.

To get you started on some new and healthy habits, I've compiled the three highlights from my past newsletters. And don’t forget, what you are what you say you’ll do.

1. The Process of Changing Behavior Always Begins With Awareness

We have to be aware of our habits before we can change them.
By breaking habits down into four basic components, we can better understand our habits, how they work, and how we can improve them.

2. Habit Stacking Is the Easiest Way to Make New Habits Last

For this, pair that new habit with a small (tiny, even!) everyday habit or routine you already do, one that's concrete, specific, and consistent, such as doing a five-minute stretch every day after brushing your teeth. Anne shared her favorite healthy habits with us so that keeping habits won’t feel like a hopeless endeavor but like a fun routine and it will make it easier to become the person you’d like to be. (Like one with clean teeth and without tight hamstrings. 😅)

3. Don’t Just Try to Create Habits Because Your Instagram Feed Suggests It

In my last newsletter, I described that the cold plunging trend might not be worth the longevity hype as it’s proposed online. Getting into the water and staying there, even when it's uncomfortable, reinforces your belief in your ability to overcome challenges and achieve goals. It can make you feel better temporarily. But running, cycling, or other activities YOU enjoy all do the same thing.
So find something that works for you and give yourself some time.

The Bottom Line

Forming habits is hard. But that doesn't mean we're doomed to failure - on the contrary, it's a great example of how the actions we take show how much we really want something. If we keep saying that something is a priority for us, but we never make time for it, then we don't really want it. Maybe you don’t want to be a runner, or cold plunger, which is totally fine.

It's time to have an honest conversation with ourselves, because our actions reveal our true motivation and who we are.