What Are You Planning for 2013? Changes, Adventures, Status Quo?
We all know January is the time for resolutions and planning. Are the resolutions milling around in your head realistic? Do you wish to stop smoking, lose 30 pounds, limit alcohol consumption? How do we do this? Simple, right? One step at a time. In a recent edition of IDEA's Food magazine, M. Cartwright, PhD, RD discussed the "5 Stages of Change" in her article "Realistic Resolutions."
She begins with the pre-contemplation stage, at which the person has no intention of changing. During the contemplation stage we begin to be aware that a change is desirable but lack the resolve to actually begin. Once we decide to do something, such as purchase a club membership or use a Nicorette product, we have entered the preparation stage. Even the Nicorette tagline, "All little wins add up to one big," suggests the complexity of stopping a habit. Are you a tactile person comforted by the ritual of smoking? How can one replace that sensation with a healthy process?
I have a statement on my desk: "Your path will reveal itself when you are looking at your life from a different angle." Focusing on our habits with a new perspective is very helpful. Cartwright describes the fourth stage, action, as when "the person has made specific changes in the past 6 months." Beyond the fear factor of disease, beyond having a team of experts as on The Biggest Loser, it comes down to how much faith we have in our own ability to affect positive change. Ralph La Forge of Duke University Medical Center cites "displacement of unhealthy behaviors" as a benefit of exercise. By introducing a new, healthy behavior, we can replace the pattern we want to alter. Shifting the focus from what I don't want to what I want is imperative.
Cartwright describes "habit loops." Habits are powerful: 40% of daily actions are habits, not decisions (Wood, Quinn & Kashy 2002). Discovering the cues, routines, and rewards associated with a habit is crucial. Self-efficacy, according to Wikipedia, "is the measure of one's own ability to complete tasks and reach goals." Kendra Cherry defines strong and weak senses of self-efficacy:
People with a strong sense of self-efficacy:
- View challenging problems as tasks to be mastered
- Develop deeper interest in the activities in which they participate
- Form a stronger sense of commitment to their interests and activities
- Recover quickly from setbacks and disappointments
People with a weak sense of self-efficacy:
- Avoid challenging tasks
- Believe that difficult tasks and situations are beyond their capabilities
- Focus on personal failings and negative outcomes
- Quickly lose confidence in personal abilities
By committing to one new positive behavior, we make it possible to displace the old one. "I will not have a cigarette until an hour after I work out." "I will include raw kale in my diet every day." "If I am hungry between meals, I will drink a glass of water, and if still hungry, reach for an apple." These little choices make a huge difference over time.
Cartwright defines cues, routines, and rewards. How often have you heard someone say, "When I get home from work, I reach for... I just need to relax"? The cue is the time of day, the routine is repeating the action day after day, and the reward is the cigarette, the calorie-rich coffee drink, or the glass of wine. Identifying your cues and rewards is the first step. That coffee drink may have 500 calories preventing you from losing those last five pounds. Create a positive habit pattern, such as going to the health club before going home. You win because you have replaced a negative pattern and you are making a decision. Experts tell us it takes 21 days to reprogram a habit. Be gentle with yourself; do not give up.
Whispers of the Breath Diva:
I am the author of my lifestyle. In this moment I can make a positive choice. I live in my body! I can create a positive reward for myself right here, right now!