Lifestyle Choices

So far, we have discussed many positive life changes you can make to experience a healthier, happier life. But getting into new habits is not always easy. We are creatures of habit and our own laziness often stops us from implementing the most sensible resolutions we might have made such as exercising regularly, taking time out to care for ourselves and using positive self-talk, for example. So how do you keep up the motivation? When it comes to motivation there are two types of pain the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Which one will you choose? The pain of getting up and exercising or meditating now or the pain of regret tomorrow or 10 years from now? Looking after yourself is only a one-minute decision each day — a decision to eat the food that is healthy, the decision to go to the gym, or the decision to look after your skin. Here are our top tips to getting motivated and keeping it up:

1. Primacy

The first thing you do when you get up in the morning is important. Make a positive start to your day with meditation, exercise, a healthy breakfast. It may be better to exercise in the morning than late at night. Take a morning walk — exposure to light resets your biological clock. Your body clock is most responsive to direct sunlight in the early morning between 6 and 8.30 a.m. for at least 30 minutes. Lack of sunlight can trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression

2. Regency

The last things you do in a day are also important. Relax before bedtime. Put a vaporiser in your room with some calming pure essential oils like Lavender, Marjoram, Orange or Chamomile. Plan your next day so you avoid thinking about it at night. Review your day and focus on what you have learned, what you are grateful for and what you are looking forward to tomorrow. Write in your journal.

3. Repetition

The brain loves repetition and routine. The more you do something, the more it becomes a habit. Technically speaking, the more you repeat a task, the more that pathway in the brain is strengthened and the more likely you are to repeat the action again. It takes on average about 21 days to develop a habit through repetition. Just make sure the habits you develop are good ones!

4. Stand out

To keep yourself motivated, make events stand out in your mind. Do something different. To remember to exercise, leave your exercise gear where you will trip over it; get it out the night before and have it right beside the bed. To remember to treat yourself with aromatherapy, put your essential oils and vaporiser on top of the vanity (not in the cupboard); place them where you will see them and be ready to use them. These will become reminders and will stand out in your mind.

5. Association

Link or associate positive things with the habits you would like to get into to look after yourself. Cut out pictures of the healthy food you want to eat and the pictures that you associate with success, health and vitality. Make a poster or collage of these and hang it in a place where you will see it often.

6. Chunking

When you start taking better care of yourself, start in small chunks. You wouldn’t try to run the whole block if you hadn’t run for some time. Write down your goals and dreams and engage the support of others, but don’t expect things to change overnight. Take baby steps and increase your pace as things get easier. Celebrate each small achievement

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