When consistency is lost, everything can fall apart pretty quickly, and I think that goes for everything in life. The more I learn how to be consistent with my own personal habits, the more I see the important role consistency plays in all areas of society.
When you’re trying to create better habits, it only really counts if you are steady. It is not good to eat healthy meals for a few weeks before going back to bad eating habits. Those first two weeks won’t have counted at all. I see this happening all the time with others and in my own life as well.
You start out with good intentions, feel really excited and motivated, and then something comes up and makes you fall off the wagon. And this is the case with everything from eating well, working out, or writing, for example.
So while it’s fun to write about creating better habits, I think the most important thing is to understand how to be consistent with them. This will be the difference between seeing great results (and the ones you want) and not…
…so how do you go about it? After all, things happen in life. You you’re in control of what you’re trying to do, but sometimes life happens and you’re forced to work out later at night than you originally planned, or you’re invited to a wedding abroad for the weekend where you don’t have access to your new healthy diet.
In this post, we’re going to look at the 5 most important things if you’re going to stay consistent, and I also think these apply to anything you’re trying to be consistent in life.
1. Understand your “why”
I love talking about you Why as the first thing to identify when creating better habits. I think this is incredibly important because if you have a strong reason for why you want to be consistent with something, you’re more likely to find a way to keep doing it, even when obstacles come up.
For example, if you really want to hunker down because you know your heavy weight will prevent you from playing with your kids, you’re more likely to take small steps like saying “no” to Chinese takeout or bringing your own food to cook at a friend’s barbecue.
Yours Why it is the guiding light that pushes you forward, again and again. Basically, it’s the reason you care enough to keep going.
From my own experience with being consistent with habits, my Why it’s often because if I know that if I can’t keep a promise to myself, I don’t know if I can do the same to others.
Being disciplined is one of the most important things in life for me. I know I don’t control everything in the world, but I do can to be in control of what I put in my mouth and how often I exercise.
2. Learn to say “no”
Learning to say “no” has been a real game changer for me. We often say yes because we don’t want to disappoint people or because we might think we’re missing out on some kind of fun that’s going on.
I actually said no to something today because, for me, my writing habit is more important than the invitation I got. That doesn’t mean I turn down every invitation I get. But when I know I want to do something important, I tend to say no.
Saying “no” allows me to move closer to my goals. It creates more space for me to do what I do I I want to do.
Growing up, I was always a people pleaser. I would say yes to all kinds of stuff that I really didn’t want to do. I didn’t want people to think I wasn’t fun or that I wasn’t “one of the crowd.” But as I’ve gotten older, my priorities have changed.
Now I want to do the things that are important to me.
However, saying no takes discipline, especially if you’re a people pleaser like me. You need to feel comfortable saying “no” when you’re invited to do something during the time you want to write or exercise, for example.
3. Take your time
We all have 24 hours in a day. How you spend your money will determine how much you weigh, how you feel, your sense of purpose and your fitness. If there is something that is important to you, you have to take the time to do it.
Decide when it makes sense to do what you want to do, and to do that you need to create a daily routine that suits your needs. As mentioned, unexpected things happen in life, but you already have responsibilities like going to school or work and family to take care of.
So when it comes to staying consistent with your habits, you need to be realistic. If you already have a lot on your plate, you need to start small and find the best possible times to achieve your goals.
For example, if you work a 9-5 job, you need to find the best time to do your writing. You may be very tired after work, so it may make more sense to write in the morning. And, that might mean waking up earlier than usual to do that. In fact, you should find time to introduce your writing and that is why it is so important.
Making a change in your routine is difficult, but if your new habit is important enough, it won’t feel so painful at first.
4. Create a winning environment
Staying consistent with your new healthy habits means creating a winning environment. If you plan to eat healthy, you need to keep your fridge and freezer stocked. If you plan to exercise regularly, you need to make room in your home or have your kit washed and ready to run.
In my experience, having a winning environment is half the battle when it comes to staying consistent. I can eat healthy every day because I keep fresh food at home. I can write every day because I keep my laptop nearby and my space free of clutter. I keep my vitamins by the kettle so I remember to take them first thing in the morning.
When I do these things, everything becomes much, much easier. I believe that your environment often dictates your behavior. For example, if I go to the pub for the evening, I’m more likely to have a beer and then another and then another. If I go to the pub for lunch, I’m more likely to have a beer with my meal and then leave.
And if I’m around negative people, I’m more likely to start feeling like them about life, but if I surround myself with people who inspire me, I feel like I can conquer the world.
So create an environment that makes your life much easier, whatever that looks like for your specific goals.
5. Be prepared to fall a few times
No matter how many times you prioritize your new habits, something will always come up making it nearly impossible for you to go to the gym, for example. And that’s the key point when it comes to staying consistent. Must learn to fall from time to time without being hard on yourself. You have to let go of the idea of perfection.
You may be extremely disciplined, but people sometimes have other ideas and circumstances change. The important thing is not to allow these things to become excuses. As mentioned, little things come up and there are things to work out, but it’s okay for bigger things to get in your way.
Just don’t beat yourself up. In my own experience, doing this only pushes you back into your old bad habits. You can’t be 100% “on it” all the time, it’s just not realistic.
Sometimes you will get sick or there will be an emergency you need to attend to and that is okay. Consistency means you keep doing something, but if you miss a day that’s okay. For example, if I have to attend a birthday party and find myself eating some cake, I’ll just go easy on the next day. One day won’t make a difference.
What are you doing most of the time it’s what counts.
So are you ready to start being more consistent?
