Jumpstart Your Health with Low-Hanging Fruit

Embrace the easier tasks first, build momentum, and start steadily moving towards your full potential with this simple (and free) 4-step approach.

The #1 mistake people make when trying to implement positive behavior change is doing too much too soon.

So, take a deep breath and see if you can hold a little less tightly to the 1,500 things you think you need to commit to *perfectly* in order to get what you want. Remember, we’re all a work-in-progress, so we will always be able to find room for improvement.

Knowing this, our goal should be to see those “improvable areas” with curiosity and compassion; allowing them to inspire us into intentional and achievable action. This means committing to one thing at a time (which we’re not particularly good at), and releasing the urge to do everything perfectly from the get-go (also something many of us struggle with).

And though you may think that you have many areas that need help right now, it’s important to remember — and remind yourself often — that real lasting change starts, and continues, in the day-to-day. It’s not the result of one good workout, one healthy meal or one ah-ha! moment where you finally decide that enough is enough. Instead, and rather annoyingly, lasting change is the compounded consequence of many small nudges in the right direction.

So, wherever you are in your journey towards self-improvement: start slow, start small, start today — and when you slip up, start again.

While these words may not seem the most outwardly motivating, this simple mantra is easy enough to remember, understand and — most importantly — apply. Moreover, it actually works, because let’s be real: change is hard, but consistency is harder.

• Pro-tip: if this mantra resonates with you, write it out on a post-it note and stick it onto your bathroom mirror or the wall by your desk. This will keep it in the front of your mind as a touchstone to offer support throughout the day.

With these ideas in mind and the following four easy steps, you’ll be able to jumpstart your health and wellness goals in no time. Because change is challenging — but it’s not impossible!

Step 1. Mindset

The root solution to all of our problems begins with the transformation of thought. Mindset, however, is arguably the most overlooked piece of the pie. So, I invite you to firstly take a moment and think about your inner dialogue.

Is your first thought of the day positive or negative? How about your last thought? And what about everything in between? Each of us has approximately 50,000 thoughts a day — and the majority of them are negative (shocker).

Therefore, this is step 1: change your mind. Believe deeply that change is possible, and tell yourself this often. Trust that things can be different.

Spiritual writer, Philip Yancey, put it best when he said:

“Faith is trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse.”

So, can you trust what will only make sense in hindsight? Can you have a growth mindset? Choosing to see everything as your teacher? Because if you do this — if you change your mind — you will start to change your life.

Step 2. Micro Habits

Remember, big change comes from small, consistent action. Tackle long term goals by breaking them down into supportive habits, and then again into even smaller micro habits.

When you shift the focus to micro habits instead of on bigger ones, you exponentially reduce resistance. This makes the likelihood of your success — well, all the more likely! And we like that.

By committing to small acts instead of larger ones, you intentionally set the bar low to create a positive feedback loop that keeps you engaged and in the game. Experiencing success early on in this way builds momentum and reaffirms trust in your ability to adopt and integrate new life-changing habits. For example, if your goal is to get back in shape:

Long-term goal: lose weight; get stronger; eat healthier

Habit: work out 3x per week; eat 99% real whole foods

Micro habit: do 50 squats each day; prioritize protein and vegetables with every meal

While you might be thinking, I can commit to working out 3x per week and eating mainly whole foods — you don’t want to set these goals if they’re not fully achievable. The point here is to set yourself up for little wins so you can build confidence and momentum. So, especially in the beginning, make sure that you’re setting micro habits that you can easily put in the work to achieve.

Step 3. Momentum

Hopefully we’re all somewhat familiar with Newton’s Law of Motion, which states that an object at rest remains at rest, while an object in motion remains in motion.

Pretty straightforward — but in the context of self-improvement, it also reigns true. If you work out regularly, the likelihood of you continuing to do so is strong. Whereas, if you live a more sedentary life, the likelihood of you suddenly working out x5 a week is pretty small. This further supports the approach to start slow and steady in order to build momentum and increases your chances of consistency.

Step 4. Motivation & Meaning

I hate to be the barer of bad news, but we don’t get motivated sitting on the couch. Instead, we get motivated when we experience the benefits of our action and effort. For example, if you want to start running, start running! It might be difficult in the beginning but the runners high you will experience and the benefits of the practice will keep you motivated.

And when motivation dwindles (which it will), it’s important to have a strong sense of purpose. Remind yourself why you are doing these things to keep you connected to the cause. Superficial motivators are fine but the fire for your drive is found in the depths of your desires. So, get crystal clear on how you want to feel and let that drive your action.

For example, often times we don’t feel motivated to workout. We’re busy and tired but we know that in order to meet our goals, we have to move our body. In those moments, see if you can tap into the feeling you’re looking to create, and not necessarily the feeling you’re experiencing in the moment. That should give you the get-up-and-go that you need to show up.

And if you need a bit more support, remember: your effort doesn’t have to be perfect — it just has to be consistent! So, show up when you feel like it and especially when you don’t.

You’ve got this!