When it comes to making lifestyle decisions, there are external and internal factors that play into how we approach change. Some external factors include our beliefs about health or social pressures. We may have certain health beliefs: for example, if we don’t get healthy and exercise more, we will develop high blood pressure. A family history may contribute to this belief. We may feel outside pressure from our doctor or our spouse to make lifestyle changes.
From within, there can be a tendency to approach change or new habits from a place of guilt, shame, fear or whatever form of discontent. We feel guilty for eating a candy bar or a cheeseburger so we drag ourselves to the gym. There may be a sense of shame around a smoking habit. Quitting smoking, eating right, and exercising are all great, but outside pressures and negative motivators are not always the most conducive for making long lasting change.
Rather than dragging yourself to the gym, go because it makes you feel good. If you don’t love the gym, find something that you do enjoy. The most effective lifestyle change comes from a place of love and respect for oneself. It is fueled by intrinsic motivation, meaning that the individual finds it personally rewarding and meaningful to engage in the behaviors that they do. Individuals who are intrinsically motivated to exercise recognize the health benefits of exercise and have found an activity that they genuinely enjoy doing to foster their health.
Everyone has the ability to tap into intrinsic motivation. It involves making changes out of love rather than disapproval for oneself. If you are already know what changes you need to make, there really isn’t much more to do. It’s about how you do it.
Here are a few steps to foster intrinsic motivation in lifestyle change:
1. Ask yourself, why is this meaningful to you?
Is it important that you have enough energy to play with your children or grandchildren? Do you feel more confident and clear when you’ve eaten a nutritious meal? This is a chance to directly tap into intrinsic motivation.
2. Foster a positive outlook and operate from a space of self-care.
Don’t exercise to punish yourself; exercise because you cherish your body and strengthening it is one way of showing that. The next time you begin to talk negatively or get down on yourself, stop and reframe it in a positive or reflective way. For example: instead of saying, “I can never stick to my diet,” say to yourself, “I wonder what I am really hungry for?” Allow yourself to contemplate this, and you can also add, “I enjoy eating healthy foods to nourish my body, and I choose them whenever I can.”
3. Pick habits you enjoy, and take small steps.
To be happy and healthy, do you want to incorporate more movement? Narrow it down. Do you enjoy morning walks, but have trouble working them into your day? Narrow it down more. Need to get up 15 minutes earlier to walk? Put your walking clothes by your bed? Pick the smallest puzzle piece, and start there until it’s a part of your routine that you enjoy and gets you closer to where you want to be. One step at a time.
4. Acknowledge your successes.
Create a sense of empowerment by acknowledging every little success, every time. Everyone is good at something, so give yourself permission to see that. Go beyond the mental note, and say it out loud. Physically pat yourself on the back. Write it down in a journal.
5. Be gentle with yourself.
When you slip up or have an off day, know that it’s part of the process. Slip ups aren’t bad; they are messengers. It’s a cue to switch something up, or just simply notice it, and be gentle with yourself. You will know what to do next. Trust the process, and more importantly trust yourself.
For more inspiration, resources for healthy living, and community support, visit www.LakeCountyBeWell.org.
