Baby Steps, Habit Stacking, and Who You Choose to Be
Oct 14, 2022
Do you feel like you know what you should be doing, but you’re just not doing it? We’ve all got a version of that in some area of life. But what to do about it? Try baby steps, habit stacking, and identity.
Often your brain is balking because you're saying something scary like, “I’m going to start meditating 30 minutes a day – every day – starting tomorrow.” See what happens when you don’t give yourself the grace of a warmup period? Instead, tell your brain you’ll start with two minutes a day starting tomorrow, and you’ll work up steadily from there. How does that feel? Better?
The second technique to play with is habit stacking. Identify an existing habit that isn’t going anywhere, like your morning tea or coffee, and link it to a new practice, like 5 minutes of meditation. That current habit keeps you grounded and performing the new habit. Habit stacking can be a powerful tool for transformation.
Finally, the fabulous James Clear, who wrote Atomic Habits, talks about deciding the type of person you want to be and proving it to yourself with small wins. Think about who you choose to be, the values you exemplify, and the behaviors supporting that version of you. In our meditation example, you might decide who you choose to be is balanced and relaxed. Each time you meditate for five minutes, you vote in favor of that balanced and relaxed version of yourself.
Which of these ideas will you try? Let me know!
