When you try to start a new habit, does it usually stick?  Or does the train run off the track at some point down the road?  Does it feel daunting to think of doing that new thing FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?!  Stay with me because I have a little trick for you!

I recently put together some “schedules” (a.k.a. “job charts”) for me and my kids.  Since you know how much I want to have a clean house, I’m trying once again to put some routines in place so that we can enjoy a clean living space.

My weekly chores are simple enough, yet annoyingly tedious that I was feeling a little overwhelmed at the thought of doing them regularly –for the REST of my LIFE!!!

Can’t we all handle doing hard or annoying things for a little while?  I think so.

But can we continue to do them FOREVER??  Forever can sometimes seem like a bit much, don’t ya think?

Once I caught myself feeling this way about my new household job schedule, I reframed my thinking into something that feels much lighter!

Instead of saying that I’m going to “do these things for the rest of my life”, I thought “they’re just something that I do”.  Meaning, clearing off the kitchen counters before I go to bed is just something that I do each night.  It’s not a task that needs to haunt me or feel heavy.  It’s just a simple little thing that I do.

By thinking about it that way, it takes the pressure off and allows it to be part of my life without taking over my life.  

And it can do the same for you.

Think of all the things you do regularly.  How do you spend your time?  I’m sure you always take time to eat each day –it’s just something that you do.

Do you usually get dressed and ready for the day?  I have many friends who do their hair and makeup every day no matter what –it’s just something that they do.  (I personally don’t wear makeup every day.)

Or how about your evening ritual?  Do you wind down with a book or a show?

My husband listens to the news each night while he does the dishes; it’s just something that he does (and he’s doing that right now as I type!)

My friend goes grocery shopping every Tuesday, and another friend does laundry every Wednesday.  It’s just something that they do.

So, think of all the things you do, and notice how simple it is to do them.  You don’t have to think too much about them because they’re just part of your life.  And you can ADD anything you’d like into your life using this easy frame of mind.

Think of something that you want to start doing.  Something big or small.  What is a habit you’ve been wanting to establish and have had a hard time doing so?  Instead of pinning yourself down to do that thing for the rest of your life, try thinking of it in this new way: It’s just something that you do.

I used to floss my teeth a handful of times a year until I married a man who I saw floss his teeth religiously.  After a year or so of witnessing such dedication, it started to rub off on me and I started flossing each night.  I realized it wasn’t so bad, and it only added a minute to my nighttime routine.

I never told myself “I’m going to floss my teeth every night for the rest of my life!”  It just became something I do, and after several years have passed, I still floss each night. 

Have there been times when I’ve skipped it?  Yup!

I actually dropped the habit for a few months last summer (can’t remember why), but now I’m back at it, and am pretty regular for the most part. 

It’s just something that I do.  

When I started going to the gym a few months ago, I didn’t go with a goal in mind.  I didn’t have any expectations for specific results I wanted to see in a certain amount of time.  I went with the mindset of “I’m the type of person who works out –this is just something that I do now”.

(For the record, I am hoping for the specific result of getting rid of some sciatic pain, but that’s more of a benefit I hope to see, not the whole reason for going to the gym.  If it was my reason for going to the gym, then when the pain is gone, I would be likely to quit going.  Or, if after so long, the pain is still there, I might give up and say “it’s not working” and quit going.)

So instead, “going to the gym” is just “something that I do”, no matter what results I’m seeing or not seeing.  I know that it’s going to be slow growth, and keeping my body strong as I age is going to benefit me, so I’m not concerning myself with checking for “results”.  The same way I’m not going to the dentist every few days of flossing my teeth to make sure there are no new cavities –I just floss and know that it’s helping.

So I just go to the gym and know that it’s helping.

I’m not going to say that using this trick is the only thing you need to change your life, but depending on your situation, it may be the missing magic touch.

I am planning to (slowly) add more activities into my life using this method.  I don’t want to do too much too soon, and I would advise you to also move slow.  Wait for one new habit to feel natural and easy before stacking on another, otherwise you risk burnout.

Tell me if you think this lighter perspective will help you form new habits or not!

I love you and wish you the best,

Empowering you to embrace your agency and liberate yourself through conscious choice!

If you’re looking for more help on how to achieve your goals, click here, here, or here!

And did you know that visualization can help you as well??