Make it an amazing week, friend!

August 15th, 2023

🛑 Break-up with Your Bad Habits 🛑

Bad habits…we all have at least 1 (or 100😣). The real question is how do we get rid of them?

Data suggests that our habits occur outside of our level of awareness. Makes sense when you think about stress or boredom eating, nervous energy causing us to bite our nails, disappointment leading to self sabotage…the list could go on.

Here are some science backed, tips to break up with the bad ones and replace them with good ones

1. Identify the triggers: Identify the specific triggers that lead to the bad habit and try to avoid them. Once you identify it, think of it as taking back your power.

2. Replace the habit with a new behavior: Replace the bad habit with a new behavior that provides a similar reward. Your brain loves rewards

3. Use positive reinforcement: Reward yourself for good behavior to reinforce the new habit. Just like we do with kids.

4. Get support: Seek support from friends, family, or a professional to help you break the habit. Openly share what you are working on. Those who publicly declare their intentions are four times more likely to complete their tasks than those who keep their tasks private

5. Practice mindfulness: Be present and aware of your thoughts and actions to help you resist the urge to engage in the bad habit. When you have an urge to go back to the bad habit, try to actively and intentionally think about what is causing you to feel that way.

James Clear notes “Habit stacking works best when the cue is highly specific and immediately actionable. Many people select cues that are too vague. I made this mistake myself. When I wanted to start a push-up habit, my habit stack was, “When I take a break for lunch, I will do ten push-ups.” At first glance, this sounded reasonable. But soon, I realized the trigger was unclear. Would I do my push-ups before I ate lunch? After I ate lunch? Where would I do them? After a few inconsistent days, I changed my habit stack to: “When I close my laptop for lunch, I will do ten push-ups next to my desk.” Ambiguity gone.

Habits like “read more” or “eat better” are worthy causes but far too vague. These goals do not provide instruction on how and when to act. Be specific and clear: After I close the door. After I brush my teeth. After I sit down at the table. The specificity is important. The more tightly bound your new habit is to a specific cue, the better the odds are that you will notice when the time comes to act.”

You are totally capable of making the changes that are important enough to you. You will never drift to your desired destination, so stay intentional!!

Tell me something good 🎵🎶🎵🎶

With all that is going on in the world today, this is a weekly opportunity for us to share something good that has happened to us recently. Seriously. If you respond to this email, you get me. I’d love to hear from you!

The good news for this week on my end is that our home construction is almost done. It is hard to explain how multiple weeks of no oven, washer and dryer, or the ability to function in our normal routines completely throws us out of whack. I am looking forward to just cooking at home. Like, seriously!?!

Challenge for the week: Pick 1 or do both:

1. Call someone this week and tell them how they have positively impacted your life, career, relationship, parenting…whatever their impact was, sincerely express your gratitude to them.

2. Give a compliment: A genuine compliment can make someone feel appreciated and valued. I used to make it a point to compliment other women on how amazing they looked or how beautiful their smile was. You can literally watch someone’s whole demeanor shift in that moment. I certainly know what a boost it gives me to be on the receiving end of it.
   

Making someone else smile is contagious enough to cause a smile on your face as well. When you smile, your brain releases dopamine, endorphins and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are associated with lowering your anxiety and increasing feelings of happiness. That is a win-win!

A quote that I've been sitting with this week:

Evoke Greatness Podcast: Latest Episode

Overcoming Hashimoto's Disease: A Personal Journey of Triumph and Transformation with Robyn Engelson

If you are enjoying the podcast, please take a minute to rate and review the podcast, or share an episode you feel like someone else may need to hear. If you hit subscribe, you will get a notification every time a new episode goes live!

What if you woke up one day with unexplainable anxiety, severe fatigue and exhaustion, and your hair was falling out, yet your doctor insists you're perfectly fine? It sounds like a nightmare, but it was reality for Robyn Engelson, president and CEO of ImpactYOU.

Robyn shares her personal triumph over Hashimoto's disease, a battle she fought and won against the odds. Her journey from diagnosis, through the struggle and her ultimate recovery is enlightening and inspiring, sending a clear message to all: don't just survive, advocate for yourself, challenge your doctor when things don't add up, and transform your health through shifts in mindset.

Robyn’s firsthand experience with Hashimoto's Disease sheds light on the broad spectrum of autoimmune diseases, their symptoms, triggers, and often overlooked diagnosis. She shares the painful episodes of waking up with confusing symptoms and little help from traditional physicians, the realization of her condition and the importance of asking the right questions. The discussion ventures into different dimensions from understanding the role of vitamin D deficiency in autoimmune disorders, the benefits in reducing inflammation, to her approach towards positive parenting.

The conversation takes an invigorating turn as Robyn explains how maintaining a healthy diet while traveling is possible, by understanding nutrition through food freedom. We explore her transition from personal education to establishing her own business, the four pillars of her solution for autoimmune diseases - nutrition, fitness, mindset, and accountability, and the importance of maintaining intentionality in routines and habits. Robyn's story exemplifies that with the right mindset and education you can indeed be your own best advocate and find the solution to your health journey. Listen in, be inspired, informed, and empowered!

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