When things get tough, it’s actually your opportunity to reinforce good habits
This past week, as I prepared for our Vision Workshop, I noticed my old pattern creeping back in: the urge to push harder, work longer, and move faster when things get tough. It’s a habit I’ve been working on for years. I’ve made progress, but in crunch moments the old ways still try to pull me back.
Maybe you’ve experienced the same? See if these examples sound familiar:
- You start a new fitness routine and feel great, until work gets busy or the kids’ schedules take over. Suddenly, you’re skipping workouts and reaching for comfort food.
- You’re building a new relationship or deepening an existing one. Then work gets stressful or a family member needs more of you. Before long, you’re picking fights or letting quality time slip away.
- You dive into a passion project at work or at home. Progress feels good, until someone asks for (demands?) your attention on their priorities. And suddenly you let your passion project get sidelined for theirs.
It’s in these very moments that we need to pause, notice what’s happening, and choose differently. Otherwise, we strengthen the old patterns instead of opening the gateway to something new.
This week, I caught myself at that exact crossroads. I felt the pull to:
- work late into the night
- skip healthy meals and just eat whatever was easy
- reward myself with TV binges instead of rest
- keep going with all existing commitments rather than review so as to lighten the load
Instead, I chose new responses.
Here are some of the ways I interrupted the old habits and I’m sharing them now as you might find them useful too:
✨ Seek guidance. I drew from my Radical Wellbeing Card Deck. Two cards fell out when I was shuffling the deck: Stop multitasking and Watch one comedy this week. I took the hint—focused on one task at a time, silenced the pings and dings, and made sure my TV time was a bit more intentional and included humour.
✨ Make healthy choices easy. I stocked the fridge with quick options and cooked a big pot of veggie chilli to see me through several dinners.
✨ Just do it. I tackled tasks directly and celebrated each one completed, boosting confidence as I went.
✨ Lean on affirmations. My go-to phrase helped me stay steady: In a relaxed and easy manner, everything required is being achieved in ways that feel really good to me and for the highest good of all.
✨ Set daily intentions. Each morning, I got clear not just about the Vision Workshop, but how I wanted to show up that day. Remember: your intention creates your reality.