Making Habits Stick

With the dawn of a New year, all of you might be probably making some New Year resolutions or some goals you wish to achieve in the current year. It is this sort of aspiration and motivation, which makes New Years special and a day to look forward to. One of the areas, we are always contemplating about bringing a positive change is our health. However, as we have seen time and again, these sort of resolutions, don’t seem to last for long.

 

Most resolutions, fail not because it is impractical or unachievable, but because we do not have the proper mindset or the will power.

 

Let’s first talk about our mindset. Habits are a result of consistent effort and for something to become consistent, it should be an enjoyable activity. Generally, when we do things out of joy, we tend to be more consistent.

 

For example, let’s take fitness activity. When we try to attach some goals, to our fitness activity  like weight loss, control diabetes, or regulate blood pressure, it feels quite stressful. It is because the results are often not immediate and it can feel like a burden, as we are trying to force something into our pre-existing schedule. Whereas, if we get into some fitness activity for the sheer pleasure of doing it, it is likely to be sustainable.

 

For instance, I go for walking every morning and it is something I look forward to. For me walking is an interesting activity, because I walk along with my friends, so I get to chit chat with them, and so walking feels so effortless. Even on the days, I have to walk alone, I equally enjoy connecting with nature, early in the morning, walking in the shades of the trees, enriched by the natural supply of fresh oxygen, admiring the freshly bloomed flowers, enjoying the fresh air, the soft sun light, the chirping of the birds, that my bodily senses find very enjoyable. So, when we redefine or transform our relationship with exercise, exercise doesn't feel like exercise but something to look forward to.

 

Another dimension of a healthy lifestyle is to eat the right food and stay away from the wrong food. This again is difficult if we try to be very serious about it. You don’t have to give up anything, like saying, I will not eat ice creams or pastries, anymore. This is going to be difficult in the long run. Many people who get into a fasting regimen, end up with feasting. Rather, you can try to bring in a slow yet consistent change, by embracing the concept of moderation. You can always say YES to one serving of your favorite dessert. The problem is only when, we don’t have a limit.

 

The second major problem is the absence of our will power. There is always an ongoing debate between our Environment and our Willpower. While there are a very few people, who can trust the power of their will power, it often fails. Will power, is often a weak muscle.

 

In one of the old Tamil, Packiaraj movie, “Idhu Namma Aalu” there is a nice dialogue, where he says, “It’s easy for a priest to be  a teetotaler and not get into drinking . But to be a teetotaler, for someone who is working in a wine shop is a real test of determination.” This rightly points out the impact of our environment.

 

Man is a creature of his environment. In olden days, people were more virtuous just because their environment did not permit them to indulge in vices, whereas today, everything is so freely available and accessible to people of all age groups, making it easy for them to fall into any vices.

 

We are set for a life which encourages obesity. There is food everywhere today. In earlier days food was not freely available. With technology we are lazier and live a redundant lifestyle. So, without changing our environment, it is difficult to change our life to become any better. It is easier to change the environment than develop our will power, to resist our temptations.

 

The best way not to eat junk food at home, is not to buy it. Rather, replace it with healthy options, such as fruits and nuts, which gives way to healthy snacking, without feeling deprived.

 

Try to make a few changes in your mindset and your environment and see how much better, you are able to progress this year.

 D. Senthil Kannan,

 CEO, PALMS Training & Consulting (P) Ltd., Tuticorin.

 Author of "Transformational Thoughts" - A Journey of learning 

 Email: senthilkannand@gmail.com