Mindful Breathing Thought Leader: Nancy Candea
I have heard it all! I know that there are some folks out there who have a toolbox of excuses for why they can´t make better choices.
“But every person can turn healthy choices into habits.”
Make New Choices And Changes:
Some of the excuses make me want to knock my head against a wall, and some are incredibly heartbreaking to hear. But every person can turn healthy choices into habits – from the man who is quadriplegic and does yoga to reduce his stress, to the mom who has 2-3 jobs so that she can send her daughter to college as she takes care of her parents, but who sets time aside so that she can write once a week. If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of making changes, why not start small?Â
My favorite starter habit for clients is simply to drink a glass of water before breakfast every day, which can change your mental outlook and make you a little healthier. It is a start! It is a great choice, and can easily be turned into a habit by practicing it over time. Put that glass of water in front of your screen, and make yourself drink it before you click the On button. Now, I know that even adding more water into your diet can be challenging. We will go over a nice clear formula for making this, and other choices, into habits.
“Making new choices can happen at any time of our lives!”
7 Steps To Turn Healthy Choices Into Habits:Â
- Choose – Start with something simple.Â
- Strategize – Come up with a plan to handle the times when you won´t want to do it.
- Commit – Make the new choice every day for one week – then another week, then another…or just go for a whole 30 days.
- Connect – This is KEY – Practice doing your new habit at the same time as something that is already a habit like your morning coffee or brushing your teeth.
- Encourage – Make encouraging signs and put them in key places.
- Check In – Have an accountability partner.
- Reward – Reward yourself at intervals during the process – one week, two…
Making new choices can happen at any time of our lives! What new choices will you make today?
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About the Author:
Nancy Candea is a life coach and yoga therapist who helps women make peace with their past, find self-acceptance, and step wholeheartedly into their purpose. Nancy, who specializes in yoga therapy for trauma, addiction, and chronic pain, has led trainings and retreats in Greece, Uganda, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, upcountry Hawaii, Detroit, and Newark. She created 2017’s social justice summit on the Navajo Nation in Arizona. She has brought her personal trainings to the Boulder Women’s Shelter and to seven-figure households. Nancy’s articles have been featured in Elephant Journal and Purpose Fairy. Check out her freebies at NancyCandea.com.
