A Simple Trick to Make Good Habits Easier

When you’re trying to follow through on good habits or make changes in your life, it’s easy to fall into the trap of “I have to”. I have to prep my meals. Or, I have to get a workout in. The trouble with the phrase “I have to” positions the task as a chore, which your brain obviously doesn’t lean into very hard. Here’s a different way of thinking that will flip a switch in your brain to make keeping your good habits easier.

A Simple Mindset Shift

Our brains love routine and comfort. That’s why once a habit is established, it’s so much easier to keep going. You actually get a dopamine hit for following through on your routine. But it also means that when you try to introduce a new habit or push outside of your comfort zone, your brain sees it as a disruption and tries to resist. 

This is where the “I have to” thoughts sneak in; your brain is trying to sabotage you! Luckily, you are in control of your thoughts, and with one simple change you can flip the script. Instead of saying “I have to”, try saying “I get to”. When I started framing things that way, I began to see them as a privilege rather than an obligation. 

• “I get to ride my bike” reminds me of what my body is capable of.
• “I get to make meals for my family” becomes gratitude for the great organic produce we have where I live and the opportunity to eat meals with my husband and son. 
• “I get to take time for mobility exercises” reminds me that it helps me feel good and keep doing the things I love. 

Am I perfect about always being in the right mindset? Of course not! However, this shift makes me feel empowered and it’s easier to stick with my routines, especially when life gets hectic. Instead of finding reasons to skip healthy habits, you start looking forward to them.

A Great Example of “I Get To”

I recently accomplished my goal of completing a series of bike races. It had been twenty-five years since I had done a cyclocross race (a specific type of racing). It was just for fun, and I would probably have done one more weekend of racing if it wasn’t for the back pain I’d been having while racing. 

As I’m experiencing now in my so-called middle-age, things I did in my 20’s are not so easy any more. Others may even be totally off the table. It’s not all bad; there are lots of things I wouldn’t trade from my life now to be back in my 20’s. But the truth is that my lower back pain has been holding me back. 

I know I wasn’t able to do my best during my races, and it kept me from doing one more weekend. I also know that there are things I can do about it. I met a woman during racing that introduced me to an app just for cyclists. It has exercises to do to increase strength and to prevent and improve common injuries - like my lower back pain. 

I’m just starting to do them, which means it’s been a bit of a struggle. My brain doesn’t want to switch things up, even though logically it will help in the long run. That means I’m working on my thoughts; I’m using “I get to work on my core strength so I can race stronger next season” and also recording my gratitude for the app in my gratitude journal. Every little bit helps, right? 

Something to Think About

With these things in mind, here are some questions to think about today: 

• What habits do you get to practice this week?
• How are they making your life better?
• How do they make you feel about yourself?

I’d love to hear what’s working for you; feel free to share in the comments!