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Conscious Habits for Wellness

An easy way to improve and maintain our overall health is by adjusting our habits. We all have habits, things we do so often that we consider them “easy”. Often habits are formed unconsciously (through observation, advertising, and social pressure) but it’s the conscious habits we choose that serve us best. When we repeat a beneficial behavior regularly, we form a beneficial conscious habit that becomes as “easy” to include in our regular routine as any other habit.

If you’re ready to take this idea and run with it, then simply commit to anything you feel is beneficial, do it on a regular basis (six weeks is a good length of time), and you will have developed a healthy habit that will be “easy” to maintain. Simply keep developing new habits until there’s no room left for the old ones.

If forming a new conscious habit is challenging, then an alternative is to simply shift our focus to “using” an old habit instead. With some minor adjustments an old habit can be used to make a newer beneficial habit. Core habits are often driven by cravings and by shifting our response, positive gains can be experienced. If you’re feeling brave, then by all means switch to the healthiest choice immediately, otherwise simply keep choosing a healthier response as and when it feels appropriate. The goal is to substitute something healthy to satisfy the craving. Your brain might come up with all sorts of excuses to justify that old habit, but remind your brain that nothing is more important than vibrant health.

Here are a few examples:

Craving for cake and pastries:

1. try organic cake and pastries (made with superior ingredients)
2. try organic cake and pastries that contain no refined sugar
3. try a slice of organic sourdough toast and organic jam
4. try a spoonful (or more) of raw organic honey

Craving for chocolate:

1. try organic chocolate
2. try organic chocolate containing 60-70% carob
3. try raw organic cacao beans

Craving for french fries:

1. try organic potato chips
2. try steaming organic potatoes and add as much high quality olive oil and salt as you please

*we use organic in these examples simply because these products tend to use higher quality ingredients and are more nutritious.

Craving for computer games:

1. try watching great movies
2. try playing a challenging board game with friends
3. try reading great books
4. try a martial arts class

For more complex and deep-rooted habits a different approach is to identify the cause by actually embracing the habit. Often, by simply understanding a habit, we automatically release the need for it. Here are some suggestions for finding and understanding the underlying cause:

1. Be kind to yourself and use plenty of positive reinforcement. Accept the habit, embrace the habit, speak the habit out loud. Look in the mirror and tell yourself its OK (most people have a habit they want to change). Before you drift off to sleep, tell yourself you’d like information and insight into your habit. The subconscious will register this and subtly begin its work.

2. In most cases our habits are not dangerous. So take pleasure in it (before it’s gone). Why do we enjoy it? What do we like most about it? Does it remind us of something? Does it evoke specific memories? Allow yourself to be fully immersed in your habit – there’s no need to judge it. It’s not good or bad but simply something to understand. The process will take as long as it needs to take, so be patient with it. You might want to discuss it with others or seek advice. The more you question and observe the habit, the more it becomes an interesting behavior, activity or pattern and less about you.

3. When you feel you have an understanding of the habit, take a little time just before you engage in it, and pay attention to the moment. Ask yourself if this is what you really want right now? Does it satisfy you? Is there anything else you’d prefer to be doing right now? Is there something else that might be just as satisfying? It doesn’t matter what the outcome is. What’s important is that you’re making a conscious decision each and every time to participate in the habit or not. If you’re honest with yourself, and the process, then eventually the attraction will fade.

4. The habit (or now the “impulse”) may still appear at times, and that’s OK too. What’s important is that you’re aware of it, understand it, and are consciously electing whether to engage it or not.