Creating a Habit
There are some things that are 'just a habit'. I don’t have to think about it, it’s automatic. Teeth brushing, making coffee in the morning, starting a yoga practice with a weird stretch and a yawn. Somethings became a habit without realizing it – a glass of wine at the end of day, a croissant on a Sunday, dancing outside in a thunderstorm. I have no idea at what point these things became a habit.
What is a habit?
Clark L. Hull (a theorist) created a theory designed to explain all behaviour. ‘Drive reduction theory’ is based on the concept of homeostasis. The idea that the body works actively to maintain a certain state of balance or equilibrium.
A habit is ‘any behaviour that we do automatically after a given cue’, without consciously deciding to do it, it simply happens automatically. This takes less mental energy, so it becomes easier to maintain a healthy behaviour for the long run, and not just for the short-term. Here is some research behind this concept.
It seems that humans prefer behaviours that are low in effort and give instant rewards, as this taps into our biological tendency to save energy. (As a side note, one of the reasons why many of us found the pandemic so draining was because we had to think about everything. Things that we once took for granted became something to think about and a decision needed to be made. e.g. Do I need to sanitise my hands to drink this coffee/ to put my mask on/ to rub my nose?)
Weird habits
I am not sure it was wise for me to investigate people’s weird habits… (This list is heavily edited as humans are odd beings!)
Nose picking
Cutting toenails and then sniffing them
Turning the sound down in your car when it’s dark out and you’re looking for a house (as if that’ll somehow improve your vision).
Licking the flavouring off crisps before eating them
Chewing nails
Cracking joints
Holding your breath when someone sneezes around you
Picking ingrown hair
Popping pimples
Thumb sucking
Tucking yourself in tightly at night so things don’t get you (I think this is perfectly sensible)
How to create a new habit?
According to BJ Fogg an expert of behaviour change, he created The Fogg Behaviour Model where a behaviour happens when three elements converge at the same moment.
A prompt - You have to remember to do the behaviour.
Motivation - You have to want to do the behaviour.
Ability - You have to be able to do the behaviour.
Ok let's test this theory...
I want to develop a self-practice for my yoga, I could use this formula to create my prompt:
If (situation) – Then I will (habit)
e.g. If I roll out my yoga mat, Then I will do one hour of self-practice
That is my first element, but I need the other two to make it work for me.
If your motivation is high, you can do hard things. If your motivation is low, you can only do easy things. Motivation comes and goes, so it’s generally better to increase your ability. That means making the behaviour so easy that you’ll do it even when your motivation is low.
You can do that either by creating a tiny version of the habit or by taking the tiny first step of the full habit.
e.g. I could start with 1 sun salute. (Once I start I might want to do more, but I have to just do 1.)
And so it begins… The first step on day one… then another on day 2 and so on
I don’t think this is an earth shattering idea (no disrespect to BJ Fogg), but I suppose credit is due to making it so slick. A bit like whoever invented the wheel, it's pretty obvious once you know how. (side note: the oldest wheel found is 5,350 years old)
Creating your self-practice
I am going to make a bold statement. (Presuming you like yoga, that the class was good and injury free).
‘I don’t think that anybody has ever done yoga and then wished they hadn’t bothered’.
Every single time I have sulked like stroppy teenager, moaning "I can't be bothered to go to yoga", once I have done it, I feel better for it.
Always.
I defy you to say otherwise. So why not develop a daily self-practice?
"I already go to the gym/run/cycle X times a week"
"I have kids/ parents/dogs /work/ a life"
"I have no time /no space"
"I don’t know how"
"I have a do to list that could wrap around the world 10 times"
I hear these reasons, but it doesn’t have to be an hour long Power Yoga class at 4am. Start small. We already have half the ingredients to make this work:
Prompt: rolling out your mat after you brush your teeth/ come home from work
Motivation: I want to feel good
Ability: Start by doing 5 minutes a day and gradually increase to 1 minute per week.
Maybe your yoga looks like this:
Monday: Rotation of everything that rotates… mouth, tongue, neck, wrists, fingers, shoulders, hips, ribs, lower leg, ankle, toes.
Tuesday: 10 rounds of 6x6 Breath. (6 seconds inhale 6 seconds exhale)
Wednesday: 10 rounds of cat cow (tabletop position rounding and arching the spine)
Thursday: sit and focus solely on a candle or object in front of you
Friday: 2 sun salutation A
Saturday: 2 Sun Salutation B
Sunday: meditation (find the stillness behind the thoughts)
That feels doable.
Taking action
I go into more depth how to get started on a self-practice here.
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Plus click here for some lesson plans you can use to give you ideas.
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Plus coming to class will increase your confidence and knowledge.
But most importantly get on your mat and move… you’ll be surprised how much you know and wonderful you will feel.
I promise!
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