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Join Sharon K. Barrett, Health and Wellness Coach, as she presents effective change strategies that go beyond traditional resolutions. Learn how to assess your motivation, overcome obstacles, and develop mindful habits for lasting change. Discover the power of mindfulness, pre-commitment strategies, and the importance of changing your environment. Don't just make resolutions - make real changes!
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Beyond Resolutions: Change Strategies That Work Presentedby Sharon K. Barrett Health and Wellness Coach
Beyond Resolutions: Change Strategies That Work PRESENTED TO
Resolutions and Change What is a resolution? • The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination • A resolving to do something • A course of action determined or decided on
Resolutions and Habits Habits can be obstacles to behavior change • It’s easy to slip into habitual behaviors that lead us away from the new direction we want to take
Habits Can Be Beneficial • Habits allow us to perform complex tasks with less stress • Habits express our character
Habits and Awareness Habits do not require our full attention
Habits and their Context Habits are strongly rooted in the situations in which they occur
Why are Habits so Hard to Change? • Habits are often unconsciously cued • Before we even realize what we’re doing we’ve done it.
Awareness Is The Key to Change Mindfulness can help us become aware of the habits we need to change
How Does Mindfulness Help Us Identify Habits? When mindfulness is practiced throughout the day… • It may help you to notice patterns of thinking and behavior • Once you become aware of these habits, you may decide to change them
Mindfulness Meditation… A way to practice entering a self-observant state.
Suppressing Unwanted Behaviors A natural response to unwanted behaviors is trying to suppress them • Breaking habits by suppressing them may lead to the opposite of the desired result. • Inhibition can lead to habit binges.
Focus on What You Want Instead of trying to suppress an unwanted behavior, focus on new, desired behaviors
WOOP It Up In the New Year! Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan • Wish – your new year’s resolution • Outcome – the best outcome you can imagine for your resolution • Obstacle – what might get in the way? • Plan – make a plan to make it happen
Wish and Outcome • Write down your wish, your new year’s resolution. • Write down all the great things that will happen when you succeed
Obstacles Write down the obstacles you are likely to face • Why do this? • It’s a reality check to make sure you’re not biting off more than you can chew
Plan For Success Implementation intentions are simple “if, then…” statements that allow you to insert new behaviors into existing routines Make a plan using implementation intentions
Implementation IntentionsExample If I go into the kitchen to grab a snack, then… I will ask myself if I’m hungry If I’m not hungry, then… I will have a glass of water instead If I am hungry, then… I will eat a healthy meal or snack
How Long Does It Take to Form a New Habit? On average, it takes 66 days to form a new habit.
Fellowship of the Resolution Join forces with others who are trying to achieve the same goal • Look for people who will complement your strengths • Quick starters, Fact finders, Those with Follow Through, Implementers
Pre-commitment Strategies “I want to break my habit of playing video games all weekend. I want to spend time with friends, but I know that when Friday comes, I’ll just start playing and won’t stop all weekend.” “I’ll bring my video game console over to my mother’s house on Thursday, then I’ll call some friends.”
Vicarious Victory Vicarious victory is when you join in on the success and optimism of others
Changing the Environment or Context Changes to our environment don’t need to be drastic in order to be effective in helping us break bad habits • Move the alarm clock across the room • Automatically shut down the internet • Stop buying junk foods
Mindful Habits Is it possible for habits, which often are automatic and cued by the unconscious to be mindful? A habit is mindful when an automatically initiated behavior is combined with a mindful, continuously varying way of carrying it out.
Habits That Lead to Happiness • Practicing Gratitude • Visualizing Your Best Possible Self • Savor the Moment • Committing acts of kindness