Keystone Habits

Hi Everyone,

I hope you each have had a fabulous weekend.  Around the Jones household it has been a pretty relaxing and fun weekend.  We attended a super fun surprise party for a good friend and it was a blast!  I have now survived yet another weekend of my life change.  Guess what, it's gotten so much easier!  I even managed to exercise both Saturday and Sunday, and I didn't even whine as I did it .  I looked forward to it.  SCARY!!!!

Alright, so why is this getting easier?  Is it because my habits are being formed because it has almost been 21 days and that's how long it takes to start a habit?  Is it because this time I REALLY have decided to make the change? Is it because I started to do one thing to change my life and then added other healthy things into the mix?   I don't know, but I think it has a lot to do with all of the above, and things way out of my control.

In my book this week it talked about how we all have trigger habits or Keystone Habits .  Keystone habits according to Duhigg are singular habits but once we do them they transform other areas of our lives as well. 

Examples of some KeyStone Habits :

1. Waking up at an earlier time 
2. Making your bed
3. Flossing
4. Taking Vitamins
5. Going to Bed Early

So how do these Keystone habits work?  Are you saying if I wake up earlier I am automatically going to eat right and exercise daily?  If so ..let me go grab an alarm clock and let's get going!!  I don't think it's that easy, but maybe! It all depends on what that Keystone habit is for you .  This keystone habit would be one that enables you and encourages you to make better decisions in other areas of your life just by doing one thing.

For the person that starts a habit of waking up earlier they have time to eat a nutritious breakfast vs. grabbing a poptart, exercise, and get to work on time.  So that one habit allowed them more time in the mornings which they now fill with things that normally took the back burner because they were rushed. So, since they have time for these things take a look at what the benefit is and how the chain reaction starts.  

Start getting to work on time and their work starts improving.  Work starts improving, promotions come!

Start eating right at breakfast they decide to make healthier decisions throughout the rest of the day.  Health starts to improve, have Less sick days, better nutrition, better health, and longer life.

Start exercising in the morning and they feel more energized throughout the day, are in a better mood,  and even sleep better at night. 

and..maybe because they woke up early they also made their bed which made them keep their room cleaner,  and had time to floss which gave them healthier and better teeth??  The list could just continue on how ONE singular habit could morph into so much more all because this person decided to start getting up earlier.  

So, what are some of your keystone habits that you have in your life?  Or what is that one change you could make that may just transform the rest of your life?  

XOXO

Britt