when I want to change…

I read about an effective way to form good habits and break bad ones. The article I read said to change your habits, change your identity. The concept was a reminder that how we see and label ourselves can dramatically affect our habits.

A paper published in 2011 by a team of Harvard and Stanford researchers found that people were significantly more likely to vote if they were asked prior to the election, “How important is it to you to be a voter?” and less likely to vote if they were asked, “How important is it to you to vote?”

So what’s the difference as noted in this study? The first question makes people think about who they are-not just about an action they might or might not take. Once someone identifies themselves as “a voter,” they no longer have to force themselves to vote-it becomes a natural thing to do.

The leader of another study coming out of the University of Pennsylvania said, Something as simple as reflecting on core values (like living?) can fundamentally change the way our brains respond to the messages we encounter every day.

So what can we do? Label ourselves as someone who already has the habit we want…or who doesn’t have the habit we want to break.

For example: if we want to exercise regularly, don’t tell ourselves when we wake up in the morning, I’ve got to get out there and go for a run…tell ourselves, I’m a runner.

On the other hand, if we already have assigned ourselves a negative identity, we can reassure ourselves that it need not be permanent and remember back to a time before this was our identity.

For example: If we often tell ourselves, I can’t get in shape. I’m just build this way, we can remind ourselves that there was a time back in childhood or early adulthood when we were more fit and active.

It’s just another reminder (and I think we all need these reminders) to focus on the words we choose, the images we imagine, and the feelings we want to have.

So…will you change the way you see yourself so you can change the way you act?

The music of our lives…

This October was the opening concert of the Walla Walla Symphony featuring our new music director and conductor, Dina Gilbert, and the popular suite, The Planets, by Gustav Holst. It was great! (And my thought for today is that we can consider our lives as symphonies too!) When we consider our lives as a symphony, […]

Our attitudes caused by..?

Our attitude can be based on politics, the weather, the way people treat us, or a whole lot of other things. Or…it could be whatever we choose it to be. When we allow our attitude to be determined by it can be volatile, undependable, and not very productive! With all the media “news” these days […]

Why don’t they change?

Have you ever wished/prayed/exhorted/pleaded for someone to change? “If only he would get a job.” “If only she would choose a different person.” “If only they would let me help them change.” After all, we want the best for them don’t we? And…we just happen to think we know what the best should be. If […]

What is enough?

Enough? Plenty? Need a bigger bowl? Or maybe a smaller one? We often “unthinkingly” think we need/want/ deserve more. We expect a coffee drink to nearly reach the brim of the cup. We become comfortable with a level of debt that’s just below our debt limit. We are smart enough, though, to know that if […]

Temporary fixes?

What do Scotch tape, Post-it Notes, paper clips and staples have in common? They each may seem to have a different function, are made of different materials and serve us well. But we admit that they do have a common purpose. Scotch Tape pieces hold things together for a short period of time. Post-it Notes […]

Notes to God from kids…

A teacher had her third grade class write letters to God and they are funny and insightful. Loved them when I saw them the first time around and hope you enjoy them too! I have to admit I have had some of the same questions…they’re not limited to children!

Balance may be elusive…

The opposite of stressed is calm and balanced, right? Work, kids, life, money, time, energy…if we could just balance it all. But balance is actually a state of constant motion. Think of a tightrope walker, a plate spinner, a bicycle rider, or a gymnast on a balance beam. If they stop moving, just stand still, […]

Got time?

Do you have “stuff” you’d love to do, but don’t feel like you have time for? Is not having enough time your excuse for not accomplishing what you say you want to do? Is there some “wasted” time in your day? Of course, this isn’t you or me (or is it?), but check out this […]

Some possible U-turns…

We say we want to live fully, to be peaceful, to be happy, to be a blessing to those around us. We know we are surrounded by universal ideas of love and beauty and wisdom, that we are immersed in the energy of life and it just waits for us to call upon it. And […]