The Habit Reset: Small steps. Lasting Change.

 Our daily habits are what make us. From how we react to stress, to how often we move our body and rest our mind, to how we nourish both our body and soul.  It's these micro decisions that have the greatest impact on our health and well-being. But what's driving those decisions? How are we making them moment to moment? Are we even aware of their impact or why we’re choosing them in the first place?

After more than a decade as a nurse, I have seen firsthand how our daily habits define our lives. I’ve cared for people in their twenties dying from obesity or alcohol-abuse, and I've cared for vibrant 100-year-olds who were thriving- in the hospital only overnight for monitoring.

Our choices have consequences. Every decision we make either propels us towards wellness or towards disease. It's rarely the big moments that determine our wellbeing- it's the little ones we make daily that have the greatest impact on our lives. These seemingly insignificant choices we repeat each day become the foundation of our wellbeing.

We all want to feel our best -to eat better, move more, sleep deeply, and find balance in our busy lives. But we don’t need another diet or app or extreme plan to create lasting change. We simply need to commit to doing one small thing differently- and then keep showing up for ourselves. True wellness doesn't come from quick fixes; it's created through consistency and intention. 

So how do we show up for ourselves day after day, decision after decision? By connecting to our why. We do this by discovering our deep intrinsic motivation, by connecting our decisions to our purpose, which leads to sustained change in the long term. This happens because your habits will stop feeling like something you have to do and start feeling like choices aligned with who you are.

Try the “5 Why’s” Exercise to determine your core values. If there’s an area in your life you want to change, start by asking yourself why? When you answer, ask why again. Continue this – usually 5 times- until you’ve connected to a core value or a broader overarching purpose, something that moves or inspires you. Hold that reason close. Let it guide your daily choices. When challenges arise, reconnect to your why and remind yourself how important these daily habits are.