A client of mine started using Invisalign to straighten her teeth. If you're not familiar with this system, instead of braces, a dentist makes you a set of "aligners", which is similar to wearing a thin, plastic mouthguard. After a few weeks, you have to change it and use another set. Over time, (at least 6 months), voilà, your teeth are straight, and your smile is perfect. This sure beats metal brackets and wires, which irritate your mouth. At least this is what Invisalign says.
I asked her how it was going and if it was a hassle. She, very matter-of-factly, said that it was going well AND it was a hassle. It's a hassle because it's a process that requires her to follow a protocol. If she's not consistent, she will have issues with her teeth and this program.
This got me thinking: Anything that is important or valuable takes a lot of work and time. Eating healthily, cooking, fitting exercise into your life, nurturing relationships, cultivating hobbies, spending time with family, and trying to balance it all is exhausting. The real challenge is never starting--it's being consistent.
Making a true lifestyle adjustment is focusing on long-lasting behavioral changes. Since this is not a fad, a phase, or a quick fix, you must be strategic, when it comes to goal setting. I love the idea of playing a game with yourself—see if you can fool yourself. Here's an example: You are drinking 3 glasses of water a day and know that your body needs more. Instead of trying to drink 8 glasses, start with adding just ½ glass more. It doesn't seem like much, which is the point—you want your brain to not feel a big change. Fool yourself. Keep this up, until it feels normal. Then add another ½ of a glass and keep repeating this process. Of course, this will take longer for you to reach your goal but who cares—you are in this for the long haul. Don't lose sight of the most important factor—consistency.
"Fooling yourself" can be applied to exercise, tweaking your diet, reducing your alcohol intake, cooking, etc. Make TINY changes that you can barely notice. Stick with that small change until it doesn't feel like a change at all. Tweak again. This process is basically you sculpting out a new behavior. Keep it small so you can be consistent. Keep it small so it works.
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