The idea of building new habits can seem daunting at first. Remember when you were first learning to tie your shoes and it felt awkward and frustrating? You had to use a lot of mental energy and focus for it to become second nature. Now when you tie your shoes, your muscles have it easily memorized. And you’re probably thinking of other things while tying your shoes since you don’t have to think about the tying anymore. The pattern in your brain that you created as a child is engrained and easy.
Imprinting
Our brains create this imprint from our habits so that we have the mental space to do other things throughout the day without having to think about everything we do. People like Steve Jobs and President Obama chose the same outfit to wear everyday to eliminate the time and energy of choosing, freeing their brains to do very important thinking.
On average, 45% of what we do on a daily basis is autopilot – opening the curtains, making coffee, brushing our teeth, doing the dishes, locking the door.
Now let’s apply this same principle to some change you want to make in your life. Let’s imagine what life would be like if you created habits around meditation, bedtime routines, movement, meal planning.
Our personal examples
When my kids were younger and I (Debbie) wanted them to eat more vegetables, I made the rule that at dinner time, the vegetables were served and eaten first before the rice or pasta, chicken, fish, etc. After a few years of me only serving vegetables first, it became a habit for all of us, even when all the food was on the table at once. We just automatically chose to eat the vegetable dishes first. To this day, my kids as college students still eat vegetables first most of the time!
When my husband and I (Wendy) wake in the morning, the first thing we do is meditate (well, after hitting the bathroom). When I first started, I was looking to begin my day with more peace. Instead of jumping out of bed with a long to-do list and feeling stressed about the day ahead, I yearned to create an intention before responding to the rest of life. It wasn’t natural at first but it has become a beautiful, natural ritual; and the benefits are immeasurable.
When you think about your own life, what habit would you love to create that would help you feel better? Imagine what that would feel like being on autopilot. If getting there feels overwhelming, that is exactly what we do as health and wellness coaches – to help you get from overwhelm to imprint. Book a session with us here.
