New Habits Start with Teeny Tiny Joys

Change feels hard because your brain resists change. 

You know that whole thing where your brain REALLY doesn’t want you to end up sharing a cave with a saber tooth tiger, so it will throw shade at every new idea in your head. 

Except our daily dangers are not the same as our cave dwelling ancestors and making a change in your routine, like getting up earlier so you can work out before you go to work isn’t going to kill you and in fact will likely help you live longer, but the ancient part of your brain doesn’t know the difference! It just wants you to stay warm, cozy, and safe in your bed instead. 

Each time you try something new, it’s gonna feel like pushing a giant marshmallow up the hill (thank you Jen Sincero for that excellent metaphor). 

And it doesn’t have to. 

Instead, start small and celebrate the tiny joys along the way. 

“New beginnings are often disguised as painful ending”
- Unknown (often misattributed to Lao Tzu)

Let’s break down getting up early to go work out into simpler steps that your brain is less likely to reject. 

Part 1

1. Put your workout clothes next to your alarm. 

2. Greet your work out clothes when your alarm goes off (yep, you read that right). Say hello or good morning, something that feels just a little silly, but not completely off (or as I think the kids are saying it, cringe). 

3. Do that for a week, just greeting your clothes, building up your joy and excitement around seeing your workout clothes. 

Part 2

1. Greet your work out clothes and put them on as soon as you wake up. 

2. Feel accomplishment for putting on your workout clothes. 

3. Make your coffee/tea and do your morning routine. 

4. Repeat for a week. 

Part 3

1. Ok, now it’s work out time. Greet your workout clothes and put them on as soon as you wake up. Feel accomplished for getting up and getting dressed. 

2. Make your coffee/tea and do what you need to do before you work out. 

3. Go work out, at the gym, yoga studio, or at home. Pick the place that you most want to work out. 

4. Repeat for a week. 

That’s it! 

This structure works for any new habit you want to create. The trick is to start small and find places to feel joy, excitement, and accomplishment. Those feelings will keep you fueled and encourage your brain to say yes to your new thing. 

What small step can you take to bring a wanted change into your life? 

P.S. Celebrate your teeny tiny joys, they’ll help you feel better and make it easier to do all the things that make it feel difficult to adult.

P.P.S. Want to learn more about creating new habits in teeny tiny steps? Check out BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything

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