Hi friends,

How’re your New Years resolutions coming along?

With vigor and abandon? Slow and steady? Still haven’t got there yet?

Wherever you’re at, relax.

Take a deep breath.

And just be there.

……..

……. {being there}…..

…….

No matter where you’re at, being kind to yourself is going to help.

And taking a minute for a deep breath is an act of kindness.

New Habits: Increasing their chance of success

Tip #1: Turn it down a notch

If you’re going hog wild into your new running routine, know that you don’t have to push yourself hard all the time to get results. This type of pitta intensity can end up taking energy from other places to fuel your intense endeavors, resulting in exhaustion or burnout down the road. If you’re looking to make changes for the long term, then using less intensity can actually help you be more successful. Small, consistent changes build up over time to powerful results.

Ayur-tip = focus on slow and steady over intensity

This tip addresses pitta energy.

Tip #2: Piggyback that habit

If you’ve done your new habit a few times but seem to get railroaded, overwhelmed or just plain forget, don’t worry.

I mean that quite literally. Don’t worry. You’ll get there.

To make it easier to adopt your new habit, you can piggyback it onto an existing habit. For example, if your goal is to drink more water, then everytime you have a cup of coffee, you can drink a cup of warm water immediately beforehand. Or if your goal is to stretch more, then every time you sit on the couch to watch tv after dinner, sit on the floor instead and do some stretches.

The trick is to do the new habit with the old habit every time so that it becomes automatic. At first it might be uncomfortable but after you’ve repeated the behavior several times, it will get easier. And when you start to see results, then it’ll be even easier!

Ayur-tip = combine a new habit with an old habit

This tip addresses vata energy.

Tip #3: Look at your past

If you haven’t started your new habit – or even thought about doing something new – now is the time! You have the power to evolve yourself. Contrary to popular myth, you can get better with age. One of the ways to do this is by gradually refining your habits. What do I mean by this? I mean recognize that your current situation is the result of all the choices that you’ve made in the past. Continue making the same choices and you’ll stay on the same path. By altering some of these choices, you alter your direction… taking yourself closer to where you want to be (which is vibrantly healthy and happy, no?).

The more vibrant you are, the more you have to give to your family, your friends and the world.

So, ask yourself “What are the small things that I do every day that add up to where I am now?” Using the following categories

• Thoughts
• Beliefs
• Foods
• Actions
• Inactions

Ayur-tip = Choose a small habit to remove or add. Combine it with an existing habit (see above). Do it on a daily basis. And do it with love.

This tip addresses kapha energy.

Those are just a few of many ways to hack your habits. I’m curious to know what’s worked for you? I’d love to know!

Until next time,

Heidi