Congratulations! The hardest part is done. You have committed to yourself that you WILL live the last 60 days of this year with intention. You have decided that you want to live a life by design...your design... and you have joined this group. Each week, we will tackle topics like Habits, Consistency, Gratitude and Focus. Each week, you can use the calendar to track your success. Each week, we will be making positive steps to shifting how you finish the year. STRONGER TOGETHER.

And of course, nothing is great about knowledge if you just KNOW it. Knowledge only has power when you take action. Each week, you will get a few action steps to integrate your new found knowledge into your life. #lifebydesign #finishstrongchallenge

So, let's talk Habits; Specifically, let's talk about the 'habit loop'.

We all get caught up in daily routines that we don’t put very much thought into. Take some time to think about all the routines you currently do on a daily basis that are almost second nature. 

Things like brushing your teeth, pouring a cup of coffee, and even pushing the same button on the elevator at work. These are all simple and fundamental routines we all go through on a daily basis, but how many of them are actually proactive? How many of these tasks provide you with a sense of accomplishment?

Routines can be very beneficial or highly detrimental to your life.

Take, for example, the cup of coffee. Many of us have a cup of coffee before work. It's second nature. Unfortunately, the caffeine in coffee can make harmful changes to your adrenal system. This, in turn, can lead to dependence, and even addiction.

Simple habits can take over aspects of your life - for better or for worse. 

Understanding how a habit forms is one of the best ways you can work to increase productivity and have a more enjoyable life. 

A habit is essentially a shortcut to a process that would normally take more thinking and attention. Through constant repetition, we teach ourselves to find small shortcuts in the process to decrease our overall effort. The process of having a habit will only occur when we have a particular cue.

● The Cue is the trigger to perform the habit.

● The Routine is the path we have taught ourselves to take.
 

● The Reward is exactly that - a reward. The feeling of a reward lights up the amygdala and sends a wave of pleasure, small or large.
 

For example: When Janice comes home after work, she always puts her phone and keys on the table, pours a glass of white wine, and looks through the newspaper. She then starts to relax, letting her mind transition from work life to home life.

● The Cue: Arrive at home.
 

● The Routine: Lay the phone and keys on the table, pour glass of white wine, look through newspaper.
 

● The Reward: A relaxing, calming sensation, the sweet taste of wine, and the excitement of reading her favorite writers talking about fashion and sports.

 In order to change and understand the habit, we need to interrupt at the time of the cue and provide a different reward. 

Janice arrives at home like most days, yet this time, she will drop her phone and keys and go straight to the shower or bath with the paper. She is then replacing the calm and relaxing sensation of a glass of wine with a warm shower or bath.
 

Tweaking the routine is as simple as understanding where to break the main cue of the cycle. In Janice’s case, the glass of wine is no issue, and she can easily adapt the routine in order to limit her alcohol consumption in an effort to better her health.
 

Making small changes like this could seem a little redundant, if not futile, yet it is the small changes that make the biggest difference.

Take the example of the worker who uses the elevator every day at work. Intercepting the routine of entering the elevator and taking the stairs instead will help to improve metabolism and encourage weight loss and vitality. The reward is exactly that - weight loss and vitality. 

Understanding the three main components of the Habit Loop are essential in order to create new routines and better your life. When you interrupt the process of established habits, you can more easily make changes to your habits to support your goals.

Okay. So here are this week's action steps:

1. Identify the habits in your life that do not serve you. (maybe it is one of the 5 to Thrive you have already identified)

2. Find & Notice the CUE. What specifically happens?

3. Create a replacement for the ROUTINE. What can you put in it's place that will give you a similar or the same REWARD.

As always, I am grateful for the journey we are sharing and remember to 

#levelup Every. Day.

~ Ilke