Making a healthy change

by Samantha Bohrt, MPH, MCHES®
Health Coach – Community Wellness
Methodist Health System 

Trying to incorporate a new health behavior into your life can be challenging. No matter how convinced you are that you need to drink more water, meditate before bedtime, or go for walks in the evening, it can be difficult to make it part of your routine. Thankfully, there is plenty of literature on what influences your likelihood of maintaining a new behavior. Here are some tips that can help you incorporate a new health behavior into your life and sustain it.

  • Consider your motivation. If you’re considering a specific behavioral change, whether that means adopting a new habit or getting rid of an unhealthy one, take some time to think about why this matters to you personally.
  • Choose something you have full control over. While you can’t control others’ actions or even your environment at times, you can still set small goals for yourself that focus on what is in your control. For example, you probably don’t have full control of the stressful events that occur during the day, but you can control your ability to engage in a stress-relieving practice for a few minutes.
  • Pick one behavior and focus exclusively on it. While you may feel pressured to completely revamp your habits, you’re much more likely to succeed when you take it one step at a time. Decide on one behavior and work on building that habit until you have it down.

Remain flexible

Often, an all-or-nothing mentality leads people to abandon their goals when they encounter any setbacks. Remember that building new habits is a process. If you experience a setback or must adjust your health routine, allow yourself room for that without letting it knock you off track. Remember, you can do this — one habit at a time!

If you’re looking for an organization that is committed to helping its employees care for themselves as well as others, take a look at Methodist Health System. Visit us at Jobs.MethodistHealthSystem.org.

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