27/01/2022
Make minuscule changes
Life coach Carole Ann Rice recommends making your first change minuscule if you are really feeling stuck and this can create a ripple effect. ‘In the extreme, where you have an absolute block to change, even a tiny move like just looking at exercise gear you could buy is shifting your mindset,’ she says.
‘It doesn’t have to hurt to work. A huge detox or calorie reduction is too much of a shock. It may kickstart you, but it takes 90 days for the brain to create a new neural pathway so making small adjustments for good is more effective,’ she says.
Rice recommends keeping a diary. Choose a small, achievable habit such as going for a walk – then schedule it into the optimum slot when success is most likely. ‘Use positive language, for example say, ‘health rituals’ not ‘health regime’. Prepare ahead so it’s easy,’ she says.
Recently topping the New York Times best-seller list, James Clear’s book Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results suggests even a one per cent change you barely notice can compound. Eventually, you’ll end up in a much better place. He recommends taking whatever habit you are trying to build and scaling it down to just one small thing you can do within one to five minutes.
