Now That You’ve Reconnected with Your Why…
Last week, you reconnected with your why, now it’s time to act – starting small. Research in behavioral psychology shows that small, consistent actions are more likely to lead to lasting change than dramatic overhauls. That’s because small goals are easier to start, easier to repeat, and easier to sustain.
When we succeed at something – even something tiny – our brain releases dopamine, reinforcing the behavior and making us want to do it again. This is the science behind habit formation: success builds momentum, and momentum builds confidence.
Understanding the Habit Loop
At the core of every habit is a simple loop:
- Cue: A trigger that prompts the behavior (e.g., waking up, finishing a meeting).
- Routine: The behavior itself (e.g., drinking water, stretching).
- Reward: The benefit or feeling that follows (e.g., refreshed, accomplished).
You can use this loop to design small wellness goals that stick. For example:
- Cue: You sit down at your desk in the morning.
- Routine: You drink a glass of water.
- Reward: You feel refreshed and focused.
Over time, your brain begins to associate sitting down at your desk with drinking water and feeling good. The loop reinforces itself, making the habit easier to maintain.
Goals That Align with Values
Once you understand the habit loop, the next step is choosing routines that feel meaningful. This is where your values come in.
Instead of chasing outcomes like “lose 10 pounds,” focus on habits that align with how you want to feel – energized, calm, connected. Value-aligned goals are more meaningful, more motivating, and more likely to stick because they reflect who you are, not just what you want to achieve.
Here’s how the habit loop can support value-driven wellness:
- Value: Energy
- Cue: After lunch
- Routine: Take a 5-minute walk
- Reward: Feel refreshed and recharged
- Value: Calm
- Cue: Before a meeting
- Routine: One deep breath
- Reward: A sense of focus and ease
- Value: Connection
- Cue: End of the workday
- Routine: Send a quick check-in to a friend
- Reward: A feeling of closeness and support
These micro-goals built into your routines are small enough to start today and powerful enough to shift how you feel, think, and show up in your wellness journey.
This Week’s Challenge
Choose one small goal that reflects a value you care about and then apply the habit loop:
- Cue: When will you do it? (e.g., after lunch, before a meeting)
- Routine: What’s the action? (e.g., walk, breathe, stretch)
- Reward: How does it feel? (e.g., refreshed, focused, supported)
Write it down. Track it for 5 days. Pay attention to how it feels- not just physically, but emotionally. Is it energizing? Calming? Empowering?
Remember: change doesn’t have to be dramatic to be meaningful. Small goals, repeated with intention, create big shifts over time.
As the year winds down, it’s tempting to jump straight into planning for the new one. But before we rush ahead, there’s power in pausing. Reflection isn’t just a feel-good exercise, it’s a wellness strategy.
