December 8, 2023 3 Min Read
How A Motivation Mindset Can Transform Your Habits
As humans, we’re creatures of habit. And whether we’re making them or breaking them, habits are notoriously hard to change.
But change is also one of those facts of life. So when you decide a little adjustment is in order – or life throws you a big curveball – your habits have to follow suit.
Slowly or suddenly, we enter new seasons of life. From starting a new job to starting a family, losing a loved one or meeting a life partner, moving across the world or down the street — priorities shift and new patterns eventually form.
Holistic Well-Being Coach Emily Kriner can help navigate your habits (intentional or not) through changes of any scale. Her process? As a certified health and well-being coach trained in Motivational Interviewing, she can guide you through a collaborative journey to pinpoint intrinsic motivation — and how to change your habits to better serve your lifestyle, values and long-term goals.
Coach Emily believes that finding habit-forming motivation is all about getting into the right headspace. Whether working with a coach or on your own, here are her top thought-starters to get you into a motivation mindset. Think through a habit you’d like to establish, or goal you’d like to reach, then take yourself through this self-guided motivational interview:
Is It Meaningful To You?
Ask yourself why it’s important to you. Connect with a reason for your new habit that is purely personal — not because someone else is doing it, or someone told you to do it.
What Lights You Up?
Will your new habit bring you joy? If you set out to run a marathon, but each training session leaves you dreading the next, consider finding an alternative activity that will still invite movement into your routine. Try a dance class, go for a walk, or head to the pool for a swim – try a few things until you find something you look forward to.
How Do You Feel Before And After?
Tune in with your mind and body before and after practicing your new habit. If you’ve added meditation to your morning routine, do you feel more focused and energized? If it’s a daily yoga practice, do you feel stronger or less achy? Notice if you’re overdoing it, or if you can incrementally increase your commitment.
Does It Align With Your Values?
Perhaps kindness is one of your core values, but you suddenly find yourself irritable and snappy when you skip your regular self-care routine. Realizing the cause-and-effect relationship of carving out important ‘me time’ to being present and kind towards your family and friends is excellent motivation.
Are You Embracing Flexibility?
Remind yourself that your well-being doesn’t have to follow an all-or-nothing approach. For example, if you want to increase your physical fitness, release your rigid definition of ‘exercise’ and reframe it to ‘movement’. On busy days, realize that a 20-minute home workout is still better than an hour-long gym session. Some movement is better than none!
Related reading: Ready to Create Good Habits? Embrace the Power of Change and Start Today!
What Motivated You As A Kid?
Maybe you lived for rewards – treat yourself to a meal out with friends when you’ve hit a healthy eating milestone. Or maybe you loved sticker charts – track your progress by ticking off each successful day with a satisfying checkmark, or try keeping a journal.
However you’re shifting your habits, Coach Emily believes in approaching your journey with curiosity. Keep checking in with yourself to make sure your habits are still serving you — and that you’re not just going through the motions, just because you always have.
Ready to harness the power of healthy habits with a motivation mindset? Book a session with Coach Emily and see what big things you can accomplish.