So I went for my routine 5k walk this morning…
You probably just glanced out your window and thought me crazy (for those of you who are not in GP – we have a wicked storm complete with torrential rain and gusty winds blowing through.)
I might be a little strange; but according to the most recent research from behavioral psychology not as strange as you might think.
Before I delve into all that good stuff, let me thank all of you who filled out Satori e-BIT satisfaction survey – you’ve given me lots to think about and I am really committed to putting your ideas, thoughts and suggestions into action. THANK YOU!
Today’s bit is less about postural alignment and more about aligning with who you want to be and how you want to show up in this world.
Working with hundreds of students and clients made me realize that even though we might crave healthier bodies and a more balanced lifestyle, many (if not all) run into the obstacle of our ingrained habits. Pushing against the current is hard, and most simply give up on their health journey.
Recently I’ve discovered the world of behavioral psychology – the science of how we create our habits and behaviors, and how to craft better + healthier ones with more ease. Turns out, top athletes and leaders use these simple, science-backed principles of building better habits. If it works for them, surely it can work for us, too.
Here is one of the behavioral psychology principles: it is called the BRIGHT LINE.
BRIGHT LINE is a pre-determined non-negotiable behavior.
Take a closer look at your lifestyle habits: you probably already have some bright lines in your arsenal. It could be something as simple as: “I don’t do street drugs. I exercise twice a week. I go to bed at the same time each day.”
[clickToTweet tweet=”Now the trick is to apply BRIGHT LINE concept to behaviors that you want to incorporate into your life.” quote=”Now the trick is to apply BRIGHT LINE concept to behaviors that you want to incorporate into your life.”] Our goal isn’t change everything, and all at once, but to take a very clear stand in one small area.
Would you like to start eating healthier? “Eating healthier” is arbitrary; but “I don’t drink soft drinks,” or “I eat at least three vegetables a day,” isn’t.
Want to incorporate more exercise into your life? “I go to my yoga class once a week,” can be your BRIGHT LINE to start with.
Establishing bright lines gives you a huge boost in the will power (who doesn’t need a boost in that department?), because the decision is already made ahead of time. This way you avoid making “oh, just this once” exception; instead, you get empowered by following the pre-determined way you want to show up in this world. Pretty cool, hey?
Plus, you don’t have to make rushed decisions in the muddy water (no pun!) – so you conserve your will power for when you really need it, and avoid decision-making fatigue.
One of my BRIGHT LINES: I walk for 5k or more every day from April to October. Decision made. Hell or high water, off I go.
And you know what? Not only it was a magical walk in the forest, but I felt pretty awesome about sticking to my guns.
[clickToTweet tweet=”How can you benefit from establishing BRIGHT LINES?” quote=”How can you benefit from establishing BRIGHT LINES?”]
The last word goes to Rumi:[clickToTweet tweet=”‘Habits are human nature Why not create some that will mint gold?'” quote=”‘Habits are human nature Why not create some that will mint gold?'”]
