Are you having trouble sticking to the healthy habits that you began in January? Many of us start strong but as spring approaches, well, frankly, we can be a little tired of the whole thing. It can be tempting to throw in the towel. Before you do that, consider this.
Every action that you take is a “vote” for the kind of person you wish to become. James Clear, a habits guru, addresses this in his book, Atomic Habits. This is true of all kinds of behaviors. After a workout you cast a vote for yourself for being the kind of person who exercises. When you clean your house you cast a vote for yourself for being the kind of person who is tidy. When you practice piano, you cast a vote for yourself for being a musician.
As you get more and more “votes” for a specific behavior, you begin to embody that identity. You begin to know yourself as a person who exercises, keeps a clean house, is a musician. Your habits foster that identity. And in return, that new identity fosters your habits.
When you were a small child, perhaps you hated brushing your teeth. But you did it anyway. Over time, after many “votes,” you have become the kind of person who takes care of their teeth. You don’t even think about it anymore. You just do it.
So if you are considering slacking off with a new habit you are trying to create, just do it one more time, for one more vote. And then again, for another vote. Over time that new habit will become part of who you are and you will see that you can be the kind of person who can do anything you set your mind to.
