A short YouTube talk by Betsy Guerra explaining a two-step method to form sustainable habits: (1) connect new habits to core values or non-negotiable commitments (examples: hiring a trainer, making promises to God/fasting), and (2) use habit stacking by attaching new behaviors to existing routines (example: meditating after school drop-off). The video ends with an offer of support and a call-to-action to betterwithbetsy.com.
Chapters
Today I'm going to tell you about how to create sustainable habits. If there's anything you want to change in your life, it probably involves a habit. So let me show you how to create new habits that serve you and support you in achieving your goals in two simple steps. Number one, you're going to connect that habit to purpose. And you do that by integrating core values or deeply rooted beliefs that you already possess that are non negotiable. For example, I've always wanted to work out and when I first started I wanted to do so at five in the morning. I have a hard time waking up in the mornings that early. So I decided I was going to connect it to something that is a non negotiable. One of my greatest values is honoring people and another one is being a woman of my word. So if I connect the habit of waking up early and exercising at that time to hiring a trainer to whom I get to honor and for whom I'll keep my word of waking up early, then I'm going to set myself up for success. What can you connect your habits to? Another thing that I've done is faith is deeply important to me. And when I promise something to God, I never break that promise. So sometimes if I want to stop eating sweets, I make it a promise and I offer it in the form of fasting for an intention. And when I make that promise to God, I know I'm not going to fail. So you better believe I'm not going to have sweets for the time that I'm fasting sweets. Number two, you're going to habit stack. Habit stacking means that we connect the new habit to something that was already there that you already do as it is. So for example, I wanted to meditate daily and it was hard to like fit in in my schedule. And once I was at work, I had so many things going on that I would never stop to take those 10, 15 minutes of meditation and silence. Silence. And I, I decided, you know what, I'm going to connect it to something I already do. So I, so I don't have to think about it. I take my kids every day to school and they go to a Catholic school, so there's a Blessed Sacrament and a church in the school. So I decided that I was going to meditate right after drop off. Then I dropped the kids off, I parked the car and I went to pray and practice silence. I don't have to think about it anymore because since I was already in the habit of dropping off my kids, now I got in the habit of meditating, and I've added some things on top of that. So now I do visualizations and affirmations and all sorts of cool things during my silence, and you get to do the same. So if you want to change the habits or you want to create new ones that support you in achieving your goals, do these two things. And if you still would like some support and accountability, we're here to support you. Go to betterwithbetsy.com Sam.
