The Missing Habits

Whether it's exercising, reading more, starting a podcast or practicing mindfulness, building positive habits is a powerful tool for personal transformation.

This is why, I've read my fair share of books on the topic.

I can condense what I’ve gathered into the following principles:

1. Begin with small, clear goals.

2. Identify the triggers that propel you into action.

3. Establish a consistent routine.

4. Use reminders to stay on track.

5. Track your progress to stay motivated.

6. Find an accountability partner to support you.

7. Celebrate your small victories along the way.

8. Adjust and iterate as needed.

While discipline is often emphasized, I find there are two crucial components of habit-building are often overlooked: self-kindness and self-forgiveness.

This was an aha moment for me.

I realized that the success I achieved on any given day was gone the moment I went to bed and woke up the next day.

It was in the past and didn't exist anymore.

Sure, I used to sit on my laurels, but that was more of an excuse not to do the work.

It was clear that continuous and consistent work was required to rebuild that success each day.

But here is the beautiful part.

Any guilt or shame I felt because I failed, dropped the ball, or made a mistakes was also left behind.

They also ceased to exist and had no lasting power unless I allowed them to.

Highlighting these points isn't to avoid accountability.

Instead, it's to develop and cultivate a compassionate and forgiving relationship with myself.

The focus, then, becomes less about making a perfect streak of action and failing less and more about building the strength required to persist and try again and more often.

By embracing these elements, I practice creating an environment that fosters resilience, adaptability, and long-term success in building positive habits.

So, with self-compassion, let’s establish rituals that align with ourselves and approach our setbacks with kindness when we come up short.

It’s within this framework that the magic of personal transformation truly happens.

Peace and love. ✌️❤️

By Mohamed Thiam

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