Hi Ladies. It's Gill here, Power Lifting and Strength Coach at MFW Fitness Studio.

In this blog, I am going to talk about creating a habit. Below is a step by step process that you can begin today, so you can start implementing some more positive, new habits into your life.

A habit is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously. Repetition is the key. We are what we do repeatedly.

To form a habit, we need to do a few things. We need to go through a couple of processes.

#1 The first process: Find your ‘why’, the reason you want to form the habit. Maybe it's part of a bigger behavioral pattern that you're trying to bring into your life. That's the why; to have more energy, to improve your mood, to create more time, to be able to do that hike next year. It doesn't matter, that's your reason, but you need to get that clear in your mind. Think about it, figure it out, then record it, and then talk about it. Find someone that you trust, whose opinion you value, who you know values you and who has your best interest at heart; a friend, a mentor, your MFW trainer. The trainers are very happy to help you do this sort of thing.

#2 Being ‘realistic’ is the next process. If it's a big thing, start small, break it down to a level that you know that you can achieve, then build from there. Make it something that you can do now, as opposed to something that will require you to procrastinate for another month or whatever. We can, I know I can, procrastinate forever. So fit one simple thing in, get it settled, then add the next thing. Identify the things that are most likely to block you. This is all part of the ‘realistic process’. This might be work. It might be family. It might be your self-talk. It might be friends who don't want to see you give up drinking or reduce your alcohol intake or not go out for dinner with them every Thursday night. Work out a plan to deal with all of those things and have some prepared answers. You know, actually sort of say, well, this is why I'm doing it. This will help you kind of be able to explain your way through those things and to hopefully prepare you for when those blocks inevitably happen because they do. They happen to all of us.

#3 The third process is ‘attach the habit to something else that you enjoy’. It's called bundling it. Say you are going to drink a glass of water, drink a glass of water, cuddle your doggie. You're going to walk up the stairs more. Walk up the stairs and visit a friend. Do your mobility work, listen to a podcast or your favourite songs while you're doing it. Try to put something that you already do and enjoy it together with your habit. Again, it's up to you, it can be absolutely anything.

#4 This process is about ‘expecting that it might not feel great for a while’. Some discomfort is often a part of creating a new habit. You might experience muscle soreness because you've started a new exercise routine. You might be a bit more tired for a while, even though you want more energy. That's okay, this is a part of the journey. It might be a little uncomfortable. You might have to go to the loo more if you're drinking more water. Just things might happen that you are not great with. Change can be hard. Any change can be hard. It doesn't have to be, but it can be. You need to trust in the process. If you keep doing it, things will start to get better. It will become subconscious. It will become something that you just do. You might even begin to enjoy it and that's the fun part.

#5 Number five is ‘to show compassion to yourself’. If you don't get it right, that's okay. Just accept, go back the next day, start again. Or just go back to where you were two days before, you know… don't beat yourself up about it though. Beating yourself up about it just makes it unappealing and you won't like doing it every time you don't get it right. So just be nice to yourself. It'll start to happen eventually. And you might need to show compassion to others too because sometimes what we are changing can have an impact on others. As long as it's not hurting them, it's really kind of their problem. Maybe talk to them about it, explain what you're doing, why you're doing it. And you know, they might even want to come along for the ride or they might turn into your biggest supporter.

#6 The final step in the process, number six, is ‘just do it’. Do the new habit, try it once. It'll start to happen. Talk to us if you have problems, we can help you break it down, we can help you with these things and we wish you the very best always. We are here to help.

Hope this motivates you all to start creating some positive and new habits.

Love

Gill x