In this episode, I'll navigate the simple yet profound art of habit stacking. It's not just a buzzword; it's a lifeline, particularly for those of us living with Rheumatoid arthritis. By anchoring new, healthful practices to the routines you perform on autopilot, you can craft a life that's not only manageable but vibrant.
Picture this - making your coffee in the morning is now the cue to drink a glass of water, stretch your muscles before the day begins, or both!
Simple, right?
In this episode, you'll learn strategies that help my clients and me seamlessly weave new healthy habits into our already-packed schedules. It's about using the wisdom of behavior science experts like James Clear and BJ Fogg to create positive, lasting change.
By the end of the episode, you'll be inspired to join our community in sharing your habit goals and victories, all while crafting a life that thrives amid the challenges of RA.
Rate, Review, and Subscribe! I am honored that you tuned in to today's show, and I don't want you to miss a single episode! Subscribe today to be notified when new episodes are released. CLICK HERE to hit the subscribe button.
If you found this episode helpful in any way, please leave me a Rating + Review. Doing so helps me reach and support other RA warriors looking to transform their health so they can thrive in their day-to-day lives. Click HERE, scroll down to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars, then scroll down and tap 'Write a Review'. Share what resonated with you in the episode. What did you love the most? How has this podcast helped you move toward a better balance in your health?
*This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any illness or disease. The information provided herein is for general educational purposes, has not been reviewed nor approved by the FDA and is not intended to take the place of advice from your medical professional, licensed dietitian or nutritionist. You are solely responsible for your health care and activity choices. Your decision to try this formula does not constitute a client-coach relationship. For my full disclaimer, please visit: https://dawnlaflin.com/disclaimer/
In this episode, I'll navigate the simple yet profound art of habit stacking. It's not just a buzzword; it's a lifeline, particularly for those of us living with Rheumatoid arthritis. By anchoring new, healthful practices to the routines you perform on autopilot, you can craft a life that's not only manageable but vibrant.
Picture this - making your coffee in the morning is now the cue to drink a glass of water, stretch your muscles before the day begins, or both!
Simple, right?
In this episode, you'll learn strategies that help my clients and me seamlessly weave new healthy habits into our already-packed schedules. It's about using the wisdom of behavior science experts like James Clear and BJ Fogg to create positive, lasting change.
By the end of the episode, you'll be inspired to join our community in sharing your habit goals and victories, all while crafting a life that thrives amid the challenges of RA.
Rate, Review, and Subscribe! I am honored that you tuned in to today's show, and I don't want you to miss a single episode! Subscribe today to be notified when new episodes are released. CLICK HERE to hit the subscribe button.
If you found this episode helpful in any way, please leave me a Rating + Review. Doing so helps me reach and support other RA warriors looking to transform their health so they can thrive in their day-to-day lives. Click HERE, scroll down to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars, then scroll down and tap 'Write a Review'. Share what resonated with you in the episode. What did you love the most? How has this podcast helped you move toward a better balance in your health?
*This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any illness or disease. The information provided herein is for general educational purposes, has not been reviewed nor approved by the FDA and is not intended to take the place of advice from your medical professional, licensed dietitian or nutritionist. You are solely responsible for your health care and activity choices. Your decision to try this formula does not constitute a client-coach relationship. For my full disclaimer, please visit: https://dawnlaflin.com/disclaimer/
Dawn:
I get out of bed. I will name three things I'm grateful for. So we're already going to get out of bed. That's something that we don't have to think about. One of the habits that I added in was just taking in this nice deep breath, big stretch, and that's where I add in this gratitude moment. I think you know, think for the breath in my lungs, the body that's moving and just anything else that comes to mind in that morning. It's an easy way to add in some gratitude into your day before your day even gets started.
Dawn:
If you've been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis or are still trying to figure out if the symptoms you're feeling are indeed rheumatoid arthritis, you are in the right place. My friend, let's get started. Well, hey there, friend, welcome back to the podcast. I am so excited for today's episode. I'm doing something a little different. I am sharing a clip from a recent training I hosted in my free, private Facebook group. If you're not part of this group, stay tuned to the end of this episode, where I'm gonna share how you can come find us. It's a special group full of women looking to improve their symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and chronic inflammation by taking action through diet, lifestyle and mindset changes.
Dawn:
This week, we talked about one of my tried and true strategies for creating a new habit. It's one I walk my clients through as well as implement myself. It's a foundational piece of knowledge that will help you be successful as you work toward a healthier diet and lifestyle. So settle in. I think you're going to enjoy this short but highly actionable episode. Here we go. Okay, so let's talk about why we're here, and it's about creating those new habits.
Dawn:
It's probably safe to assume that we all are in the desire of creating new habits, because this is sort of a diet lifestyle mindset group, and it's also safe to assume that it is not easy to do. It's not easy to create habits that actually stick for a lifestyle, and the reality is is that we have got to figure out how to do that so that we can continue to improve our health. As we navigate age, as we navigate chronic inflammation, as we navigate changes to science that say we should maybe try to do this or try to do that, there's always going to be an opportunity to add or create new habits. So learning how to do that successfully is really an important thing to figure out. So I wanna share one of my best go-to strategies that I work with in helping my clients as they take those steps to make those changes, and one I do myself, and that's called habit stacking.
Dawn:
This is where you have, you're sort of piggybacking on a habit that you already have established. This habit you have is a no brainer. It is something you do without, without any thought. There's very little resistance and it's just an automatic step in your day. So say, for example, you're starting the coffee in the morning, brushing your teeth. Maybe you're letting the dog out. Now, when I was writing my notes and thinking about this, it just for some reason my dog is eight years old, but for some reason I flashed back to those 2 am 5 am morning letouts where you then you have a little bit of resistance. But in this case we're talking about those mornings where you're getting up out of bed and everybody's getting the day started. Letting him out is no big deal. So we have these no brainer habits. What better way to add a new one than work right alongside one that's already established, one that we're doing without a second thought?
Dawn:
Now, I love James Clear's information. If you don't know who James Clear is, he's an author. He wrote Atomic Habits and he this book. If you have not read it, I highly recommend it. It has so many golden nuggets in it that you can't just pick one or two because there are so many. And it's so relatable in everything we do, because everything requires a habit. And you know when you're trying to set a habit. Maybe it's for work, maybe it's for school, maybe it's for your kids. You're trying to set a habit. Maybe it's for work, maybe it's for school, maybe it's for your kids. There's so many ways and reasons that we need habits in our lives, so figuring out how to do those is critical, and he has some great information how to do that he shared in a post that I had read from him about a method written by BJ Fogg, who is the author and creator of a program called Tiny Habits, and he basically has stated that you can create a habit out of anything that you desire. And it goes something like this so you take your before and after habits, your current habit comma, I will new habit. So you're making the statement where you have your before and after, and then you're gonna insert your new habit.
Dawn:
So let's go back to the example where we're starting that coffee pot in the morning. Say that you are going to hit start on the coffee pot and so after I push start on the coffee pot, comma, I will drink a glass of water. Maybe you're looking to add in eight ounces of water in your day and you're looking to add in a lot more, but you're like how do. I even get one glass. Well, this is a perfect thing because you're already taking and starting this habit, and I don't know about you, but our coffee pot takes about four minutes to brew. My husband's a big coffee pot drinker, a big coffee drinker, and so we got this one and it's made him. He's been so happy with it. It takes four minutes Either way. Just if you're starting to take and drink that glass of water while that's brewing, that's a no brainer. You've already got some fluid in your body. That water is going to help you start your day. It helps start your digestive process, support your digestive process, and then you're going to have your cup of coffee. So you've just created an easy path to add on a new habit.
Dawn:
So let's look at another one. Before I get out of bed, I will name three things I'm grateful for. So we're already going to get out of bed. That's something that we don't have to think about. One of the habits that I added in was just taking in this nice deep breath, big stretch, and that's where I add in these this gratitude moment. I think you know, think for the breath in my lungs, the body that's moving and just anything else that comes to mind in that morning. It's an easy way to add in some gratitude into your day before your day even gets started. So let's see, let's look at one last one. After I finished my breakfast, I will take my omega-3 fish oil. So this is a big one.
Dawn:
Especially when my kids were younger in high school and then went into college, I was trying to help encourage them. My daughter was up in Northeastern and if you're up in the Northeast part of the country, especially in the winter, you need vitamin D, and I knew that that was something for her because she was having vitamin D struggles even before she left. So I was trying to find ways to help encourage her to to try and take these supplements, because when it's not something you're used to, how do you add that into your day? So one of the things that we talked about is, after you finish your meal, so after you finish your breakfast, have your Mega 3, your supplement, whatever it is you're trying to take, right there with you so that you take it goes right along with that habit, something you're already doing. You know, for me, my daughter-in-law recently shared we got these family cups for Christmas and she just told me that one of her friends always put her morning supplement or whatever in the top of this tray and I thought what a brilliant idea, and so that's actually become my go-to. I just set them in there and then I'm taking them in the morning as I'm eating my breakfast Easy peasy, a great way to get in a new habit.
Dawn:
And it's just as easy as that. You're automatically stacking on to inhabit that you already have. When you master that, then you can move on to the next thing. You know it takes about 21 days for a habit to become set in place. So the more that you continue to take those steps, the easier it gets to do. And and I always encourage you to look at how you feel from the day before Number one there's that sense of accomplishment that you're like I did that. I just had my cup of water and I made coffee. I feel great, and now I feel like I am taking steps toward better health for myself.
Dawn:
So once you've had the chance to master that, say you want to stack, say your goal is to have a morning stack of routines that help set you up for your healthiest self for that day. I know for me personally, I am a morning person when it comes to exercising, when it comes to, you know, taking supplements, whatever it is, so that I know that I don't get through my day without doing them. So say that you're trying to set your morning habits as a stack. The best thing you can do is create that first stacked item and then, once you've mastered that, then you're gonna add another stack on top of that. So let's go back to that coffee example. Say your goal is to start moving more. Every day you go and you start your coffee, you have your cup of water, because that's your new habit and you've been doing it for at least three weeks and then you grab the dog, you grab the leash or, you know, headphones and sunglasses if you don't have a dog and you head outside and you take a 10 minute walk what an easy way to add in another habit. And then you come back and then you enjoy that cup of coffee, which is going to sit there and wait warmly for you. Okay, so do you see how easy that is to create a stack of habits so that you can create better health for yourself throughout the day and long term? And the more you do that, the easier it is to bring in those new habits because you feel that sense of when, that sense of that good feeling when you're doing good things for your body. It's important to know that these new habits, learning new habits, this need for new habits is never gonna go away. It will always serve you well to figure this out and to continue to boldly, confidently take these steps, because we're always gonna be having new opportunities to add something to our lives.
Dawn:
I'm actually in the process right now of adding magnesium to my day, and so that was a little tricky for me, because I'm trying to take it at night. I have a powdered form and, as I said, I tend to do everything in the morning when it comes to my supplements. So I had to figure out how am I going to bring this into my day and not forget it, and I'm also trying to have a clear counter, so I didn't want that sitting out. Well, in the end, I decided to let go a little bit and have my magnesium container sitting on the counter right where I do my dishes. So my rhythm has been is that I will do the evening dishes and then I'm boiling water and steaming my tea, steeping that tea, and then, as soon as I'm done, I'm able to add my magnesium and I go and have that lovely cup of tea that I'm enjoying way more than I ever thought I would, because it's really helped me to kind of wind down in the evening. I'll read my book. I'm studying for some certifications right now, so I'll read some of those as well, and it's just been a great way for me to sort of wind down the day and get ready for bed.
Dawn:
So even myself, who is nine years into this health journey, I've been on health and wellness enthusiasts for all my adult life, well into as being a health coach, making habit change and still working on how to navigate that. So it will always serve you well. I want you to know that and just feel encouraged that, no matter where you are you well. I want you to know that and just feel encouraged that, no matter where you are, you can do hard things and you can start these new habits and learn really great ways to create health in your life. So I hope that this has been helpful for you. Let's see, sarah said setting a reminder alarm is a lifesaver for remembering my supplements Absolutely. But that's a great idea to set that reminder so that you can not forget to add that to your evening as you're getting ready for bed.
Dawn:
I hope that this has been really helpful for you, and I would love to know in the comments what one habit are you in the process of working on, or what habit do you want to start, but you're kind of struggling with how to get that into your day. I would love to hear that from you and I will respond back with either a video message or a comment to give you some tips or solutions, strategies that you can take as you work to improve that habit, as you work to create that as part of your lifestyle. All right, friend, thank you so much for listening. I truly hope that this has been a valuable episode with steps that you can put to use right away. Now, obviously, there isn't a common section here, but I'd love to hear what one habit are you working on or thinking about adding, or maybe you recently established as a new habit that you wanna celebrate. I wanna celebrate with you.
Dawn:
Here are two ways you can reach out. Number one, if you're not already a member of this group that we talked about today, I highly encourage you to come join the conversation. I'll be hosting more of these lives in the coming weeks. Not to mention, there are helpful mindset tips, strategies, recipes and challenges that I share throughout the weeks. What better way to take steps in your health than being surrounded with other like-minded individuals in a space where you can ask me questions? I'll post a link to the group in the show notes.
Dawn:
Another way that you can find me is on Instagram at Dawn Laughlin Health. Either way, I hope to connect with you in real time one way or another. Until then, I'll see you here next week. Same time, same place. Bye for now, friends. That's it for today's episode. If you're ready to say goodbye to the overwhelm and get clear on what foods to eat that best support your body with rheumatoid arthritis, be sure to grab my free anti-inflammatory foods checklist. You can do that by clicking the link found in the show notes below. Well, until next time, ra Thrivers, keep taking those small steps that lead to big impacts in your health.