Can a habit save your life?

If you’re about to step into London traffic, the answer is a resounding...yes! #lookright

If you’ve survived this long, it’s likely you have a deep habit of which way to look when stepping off a curb. That’s a good thing.

But what about those habits that aren’t serving us? The ones that tell us we aren’t good enough, or ready enough or why should anyone listen to what we have to say. Those can be hard to tackle. Here’s the key—start small and make it actionable. Here’s a plan:

• Identify which habits you’re going to work on. (Don’t pick the world’s heaviest lift. Pick something manageable but worthwhile.)

• Choose a very specific action to take.

• When you’re tempted to slip back into the habit, redirect your thoughts to something else instead of giving in.

Here’s an example:

Habit
Maybe you want to quit spending so much time with screens. You decide to focus on your phone.

Specific Action
Instead of grand pronouncements like, “I’m not going to surf social media,” you could commit to something specific, like leaving your phone OUTSIDE your bedroom at night and then not looking at it until 9am.

Redirect vs. Giving In
When you’re tempted to go ahead and sneak a peek at your phone when you wake at 7am, instead, you could step outside and take a moment noticing the sounds and smells around you. Rinse and repeat until 9am.

Habits are like muscles. They have to be built, and you get better at creating positive ones with practice. Don’t sabotage yourself by starting at 200lbs. Slow and steady is the only way to handle the quest for healthy habits.

Oh, and if you’re heading to London any time soon, go ahead and start working on that “look right” habit before you step off the curb. You’re welcome.