Committing to a healthy lifestyle is one thing, learning how to stick to your wellness routine is another. Most of the time, when you’re changing your life and starting to build new habits, it takes a lot motivation and hard work to get them to stick.
Not long ago, my daily life was in really bad shape. I had just quit my full time job and had dreams of being a freelancer. The problem was that once I had free rein and didn’t have to go into an office, my routine was all over the place (basically non existent) and I wasn’t really taking care of myself. I was sleeping until 11am on average and would just half work out of my couch with Netflix playing Friends re-runs on the background. Because I lacked intention and focus, I mindlessly ate all the junk food in the world while whining that nothing was happening on the business front. It got seriously worse month after month, I gained a bunch of weight, was making almost no money and I didn’t want to continue on. I needed to revamp my lifestyle and I needed to seriously invest in my well being.
Creating a Wellness Routine You’ll Stick To
I honestly believe that part of the reason so many attempts at a routine or healthier lifestyle fail, is because we force ourselves to do things that don’t bring us any joy. To start sticking to a wellness routine, you have to create one that you actually want to do. Sure, drinking lemon water first thing in the morning like your favorite celeb seems like a good idea at first, but if you find yourself forcing lemon water down your throat while cringing from the sour taste and then hating every minute of it… then maybe that’s not for you.
So here’s the thing, a good wellness routine is one that you enjoy doing that will benefit you and support your well being (physically, mentally + spiritually). Don’t force yourself to stick to any habit just because it’s trendy, just adopt habits that make you feel good. Think of these new habits as part of a self care routine too. No matter what they are, it’s all about growing and taking you towards that dream life you crave. Good? Ok! Moving on to my tips!
Tip 1 — Think About Why Your Routine Didn’t Stick Previously
In order to create strong routines you need to first figure out why your attempts haven’t worked in the past. I’m guessing is because you talk yourself out of it, make excuses, let fear take the wheel or just forget. I know I used to make so many excuses. Plus we all know the ever popular “I’ll start tomorrow”. What has helped me a lot is to really question myself. Why am I giving up? Why is it I cannot do this? Basically, I take inventory of my thoughts and feelings to get to the root of the problem and then go from there.
Tip 2 — Start Small
Planning routines that take too much time eventually leads to burning out and being inconsistent. It is better to FORM a habit first before adding lengthy routines to your schedule. This is a little thing called Lowest Barrier of Entry and this method will help you stick to a habit! For example, if you love to read and want to incorporate that into your life then start small. If you set out to read 3 chapters every day and one time you find it impossible to accomplish therefore deciding to skip it, you break the routine. At the beginning, make the smallest commitment, one you feel you can actually accomplish every day without it becoming a burden. Vow to read 3 pages per day, meditate for 1 minute every day, go running for 1 minute in the mornings etc. Remember, this has to be fun for you, so bottom line: START SMALL. You can always add pages or minutes later 😉
Tip 3 — Be Intentional With Your Routine
One of the biggest things that made me stick to my routine for a whole year (and still going strong!), was to set my intention on it first. WHY do I want a wellness routine? Why am I doing this? Why do I want this? How is this going to benefit my life? I even wrote it down multiple times throughout the year. I really wanted to get clear on the benefits a wellness routine would bring into my life. So think about it in your own life. What would sticking to a wellness routine do for you? How will it change your life? Having that answer handy will help cancel out any negative thoughts or excuses that will eventually pop up when first starting out new habits.
Tip 4 — Track + Be Accountable
It is so easy to fall out of a routine, there are so many distractions that can come from anywhere… your dog, kids, work life, traveling and even weekends can all be the kryptonite to your wellness routine. I know I always have so much trouble getting back into my habits when I’m away from home for so long. After much trial and error, I have found success in tracking my habits every day. I actually created a wellness checklist/planner that I use every day so that I hold myself accountable (you can download it on the freebie hub!). There are loads of apps for this too! The thing is, it holds you accountable. Having to log habits somewhere keeps you on track and really helps you when you’re first starting out in forming a new routine.
Tip 5 — Be Kind to Your Mind
As always, I implore you to be kind to yourself. Changing your life is a process. It is also not linear, it is a rollercoaster and there will be days where you forget to do your routine. That is totally ok! The important thing is to get up the next day and start your routine fresh. Don’t beat yourself up for not doing it perfectly every time. Remember that your thoughts are powerful and what you say and think will affect your mood. The whole goal of a wellness routine is to keep those joyful vibes in your life so if you miss a day or two, don’t sweat it ok? Just try again the next day and keep that intention in mind.
—
The best way, in my opinion, to stick to a wellness routine, is to really be intentional with it. You need to always keep in mind why you are doing it and the benefits it is bringing to your life. Do that, and you’ll be living a balanced joyful life in no time.
What is your biggest struggle with sticking to a routine?
