Breaking Bad Habits

One of the privileges of being a Springday expert has been to witness the development of this supportive and exciting online community from concept to reality.  It has evolved from a great idea swirling about out there in the ether into a tangible meeting place of hearts and minds – how cool is that?

It struck me today how this journey, which continues to gather impressive momentum step-by-step, so perfectly embodies the holistic aim of Springday itself: that we as individual members can direct, modify and improve our own behaviour day-by-day over time to achieve the goals we set.

When I reflect on a few of the more significant behavioural shifts I have created (losing 50kg; implementing healthy sleep patterns; transforming from shy teenager to national TV Presenter and genuine people-lover) the secret to long-lasting success has really come down to a few key elements:

1.    Hierarchy of personal values
2.    Every moment is a choice
3.    Visible accountability – every day

One of the reasons I’m so excited to be a part of Springday is that it makes implementing this learning second nature for anyone who may have struggled with how to keep tabs on their progress and stay motivated in the past.  Here’s how…

1. Hierarchy of personal values

l was recently lucky enough to meet insatiable polymath Dr Demartini after hearing him speak in Sydney.  This is something I recommend you do if you get the chance, as his standout talent is the ability to draw on a wide range of disciplines having read the equivalent of about 260 different subjects to PhD level.  None too shabby!

In terms of behavioural change, it was Demartini’s comments on the subject of values that really struck a chord with the audience.  In essence, the key is to identify your own personal hierarchy of values and list them from, say 1-10.

For example, you might have FAMILY at the top but MONEY way down the list after LOVE or HEALTH.  Where your values sit basically determines how much of each particular thing shows up in your life.

So, if (like me ten years ago) you find yourself 50kg overweight and want to get fit and healthy, it will probably come as no surprise to find that ‘Health &Fitness’ is not one of your top three values!  The trick is to move it up – even if only temporarily – and be aware of its newfound high priority on your list.  You will notice that your conscious decision-making starts to reflect its new prominence at the forefront of your mind.

I have also found that arranging my Springday profile to flag articles under MY FAVOURITES that reflect my top priorities has been a real help with this.  It’s a simple, practical step which has supported and reinforced those values and areas of interest currently near the top of my list.  Having them easily to hand is training me in the habit of dipping into helpful resources from fellow Springday experts for tips and techniques on a daily basis – too easy!

2. Every moment is a choice

You know the old adage, ‘every second counts’?  Well in terms of behavioural change and shifting from old habits, which may not be serving you, to establishing new ones which keep you on track, this motto is gold.

For those of you familiar with the philosophy of being present explained so accessibly by Eckhart Tolle in his books, ‘The Power of NOW’ and ‘A New Earth’, you will already have a grasp on the concept of the ‘eternal present’.  In essence, this describes the reality of time: that the only REAL moment is this one right now – you cannot actually really BE anywhere else!

Since the past is only memory and the future an illusionary projection, the choices you make right now, in this specific instant, moment-to-moment, are the only ones that count.  They are all that is real.  It’s a bit of a head-spin, I know…but this is how I found it useful to really embrace this concept when I was learning how to overcome my shyness as a teenager:

Instead of worrying about conversations which hadn’t flowed easily in the past, or imagining where any given introduction may or may not lead, I made the conscious decision (which I have continued to choose again and again in every moment since that day years ago) to take the plunge and be the first one to stride over to someone I do not know, stick out my hand, grin and introduce myself: “Hi, I’m Oonagh, what’s your name?”

To begin with, this was a daunting thing to do, especially as a sensitive teenager too invested in what other people might think of me.  But time and again I observed that the reaction most people have to this approach is to be flooded with relief that they aren’t required to be the one to take that first scary step and put themselves out there.

Since gratitude is one of the most beautiful, loving, productive and positive emotions we can feel in any given situation, nine times out of ten this gets conversations off to a really good start.  What follows next is just all about being honestly engaged and interested in the moment and the person you’re talking to.  Makes sense, doesn’t it?

As for the odd time I get the brush off or someone who looks me up and down like I just crawled out from under a rock…well that just tickles me so much I usually burst out laughing – who does that sort of thing when someone’s being friendly?  Probably not anybody that is a great loss for me not to know!  Besides, even just one of the amazing connections made through taking this leap of faith is worth a dozen knock-backs.

In terms of wellbeing, the choices being made in every moment might be around exercise, nutrition, stress-relief etc.  The key is to really ‘get’ that you are always at the junction where time and space meet in the now where you get to choose how to affect your day.  In other words, don’t let this moment right now be blighted by having chosen the chocolate muffin for breakfast.  Why feel bad about the past when it does not actually exist?  Choose to feel great about the present moment instead and make the healthy choice right now.

To quote Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Dillard, the choice in every moment is what constitutes our days, and “how we spend our days is how we spend our lives.”

3. Visible accountability – every day

When I first logged on to set up my Springday account I honestly wondered whether I would find the time to visit every day.  Like so many other busy people I have a Face-ache (sorry, Facebook) profile, am plugged in to Linked-In and feel like I spend enough time already in front of my laptop earning my living as a writer!

So I admit to being gleefully surprised at how willing I have been to make time to be a daily member of the Springday online community - mainly because of how valuable I find it to have one central location for keeping myself accountable.  Instead of half a dozen different scraps of paper, ‘notes to self’ and unfinished food diaries, I now have one easy wellbeing portal.

So now I’m like a kid in a sweet shop, spoilt for choice with tools that work for a visual learner like me (graphs automatically plotting my progress) who loves people (community chat, support for shared goals) but who can’t be bothered with maths (the Springday points system does it all for me!).  Having set www.myspringday.com.au as my homepage (so that it pops up every time I go online), I don’t even have to remember to logon every day.

I particularly love the fact that elements such as the quality and duration of my sleep and how many glasses of water I’m drinking are included since these were key factors in prioritizing wellbeing in order to lose the 50kgs I shed ten years ago.  Not a lot of people struggling with weight and wellness really get how crucial water and sleep is for success, but there are specific metabolic functions our bodies can only deliver on when we’re getting enough of both.

So in my humble opinion, Springday’s truly holistic approach to wellbeing absolutely ROCKS – especially since my life philosophy has always been one of connectivity.  If we’re not careful, the illusion of separation can lead to us making the mistake of sectioning off parts of ourselves, our lives or our communities for attention without realizing that the inter-relatedness of things always makes the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

In short, we all need people or things to hold us accountable because as creatures of ego it’s easy to veer off track otherwise.  The Springday points system makes this too easy for words and it gives me such a buzz to logon and tick the boxes to say I’ve kept the wellbeing promises I’m making to myself moment to moment, day by day.

Daily accountability is also an awesome way to avoid those dangerous plateaus where you might feel like you’re stagnating or not getting any fitter, stronger or healthier.  All you need to do is look back over your past successes or chat with a Springday buddy to realise these plateaus are a normal sign of your body adjusting to increased wellbeing.  Simply tweak your online program and carry on regardless to get the wins you want.

And please feel free to add me as one of your Springday friends so I can share the ups and downs of your journey and success – it would be a privilege to be one of your greatest fans! Love and Light, from Oons x

Written by Oonagh O' Reiliy, Springday Nutrition Expert.

Back to Motivation

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