From Atomic Habits author James Clear:
“It’s one year from now. The habit you were hoping to build during the year didn’t stick. What is the most likely reason it failed?” Habits are the cornerstone of our lives. Your current life situation is the metaphorical sum of your daily habits. Your current health is nothing more than the sum of the little decisions you have made over a life time with respect to your health. New habits are difficult to establish. Especially the beneficial ones. The habit of eating pizza daily – that would be a cinch. Reading a relatively dry book about habits – a struggle.
I am trying to develop a new habit of doing yoga every day. I have always been active and fit but at 54 I am discovering that my body doesn’t cooperate with my exercise goals like it used to. I am hoping yoga helps. But I really don’t like yoga. I find it terribly boring. Most of the time I am looking at the count down clock wishing it would speed up. However, I love how I feel after I have done a yoga class. I notice the benefit immediately and I am noticing it is helping with my CrossFit workouts – I am not nearly as stiff and sore after.
So I am trying to focus on the result and not the experience. And I am trying to ask myself better questions: What will my life look like in one year if I can stick with my new yoga habit? My hope is that if I keep the bigger picture in mind, yoga (and this book about habits) will become less boring, more tolerable – and maybe even enjoyable?!
In good health,
Dr Craig