Take the Stairs
INACTION BREEDS DOUBT AND FEAR. ACTION BREEDS CONFIDENCE AND COURAGE. IF YOU WANT TO CONQUER FEAR, DO NOT SIT HOME AND THINK ABOUT IT. GO OUT AND GET BUSY.
Setting Health Goals
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear.”
When you acknowledge that you need to make positive changes in your life, you may get ahead of yourself before even getting started. You may compare yourself to where others are on their health journey and think you can never get there. Sometimes, looking at your list of health goals can be overwhelming and you may not know where to start. Too often, fears and doubts perpetuate a cycle of negative habits and feelings, which pull you farther away from what you really want. So what do you do to get out of this negative cycle? Take action!
What Are Microhabits?
“Action breeds confidence and courage.”
You may have heard people suggest starting with “baby steps.” Instead, we suggest starting with microsteps, or microhabits. Microhabits are slight changes to your routine that help to serve your health goals. Whether your goal is to decrease your pain, become stronger, lose weight, or reduce your stress, microhabits can help you implement sustainable change in your life. If your goal is to walk five miles a day, you may think that you have to start by walking at least 1–2 miles a day. While that is a step in the right direction, first create a solid foundation of healthy habits to build upon. Consider implementing microhabits to reach your goal—like always choosing to take the stairs rather than the elevator. Not only is this behavior change simple and quick, but it will also help you build the confidence and courage you need to reach your lifestyle goal. Microhabits are simple, sustainable changes that you will be able to maintain long-term! Once an action becomes a habit and, in turn, part of your daily routine, it becomes a part of who you are. This will make your healthy lifestyle that much easier to live.
Celebrate Every Victory!
Although microhabits seem like insignificant changes, they can have an incredible impact on your health status. For example, walking up ten flights of stairs a day for an entire year will burn approximately 7,280 calories. (That’s a little over two pounds!) When combined with additional lifestyle changes, like incorporating healthier food options and working with a health coach, microhabits can make significant improvements to your well-being.
It is important to celebrate every step you take that brings you closer towards healthy lifestyle change. It can be helpful to track your progress each day or to record milestones you hit with your established microhabits. When you are having a tough day, you can look back at all the progress you made and feel encouraged to stick to your goals.
How Prime Meridian Can Help
At Prime Meridian, one of our goals is to help you achieve optimal health in order to help you live the life you desire. Successfully establishing microhabits can provide you with the motivation you need to live a happier and healthier life. Make an appointment with one of our Prime Meridian providers to learn how to make sustainable lifestyle changes and get access to tools and resources to help you meet your goals and reclaim your health.
