How to Fool Your Brain to Create a New Healthy Habit

Have you ever been to exercise or dieting, but you haven't adhered to it? If you're like millions of other people, you started with the best of intentions, but you couldn't keep up. That's why relying on motivation and willpower doesn't help (and what works instead).

When you start any new self-improvement program, your enthusiasm is increased and you are motivated by the pleasure of what you want or the pain of what you don't want. But motivation decreases naturally over time.

When motivation is declining, you rely more on the power of the will. But no one has endless resources of willpower. It is a resource that ends up being "consumed".

Every time you use your will to do something you don't want to do, you use that power to the end, you get to the bottom of the bag. It is as if every temptation you have overcome impoverishes your willpower. By evening, you may find that you have no will at all.

That's why most people give up their diet in the evening after eating healthy during the day. If motivation and willpower do not work for you, because they are not infinite, there are other ways!

95% of our lives are dictated by the subconscious mind, the part of our brain that leads our life on autopilot. That's why you can do everything from brushing your teeth to driving without thinking about them. With the conscious decision to create a new habit, you can control the power of your subconscious to create new neural pathways. Once a new habit is established, it becomes easy to do - no more motivation and willpower.

Here are 7 steps you can take to begin the process of preparation for mediation. Once the habit is established, you will find yourself doing it effortlessly. These techniques can be used for any habit you want to implement or change - diet, exercise, meditation, stress reduction, sleep habits, etc.

Set small goals

Setting big goals is exciting, but if you start with small, boring, funny simple goals, you have a better chance of success. A small goal, for example, would be to meditate for 10 minutes or replace an unhealthy snack with a veggie or walk for 15 minutes a day. If you take small steps, you are fooling your brain. Your subconscious likes to be in control - but it doesn't like change. A big change often triggers a subconscious resistance, but you can sneak a small change alongside it.

Use a trigger

A trigger is something that leads you to do something else automatically. Many smokers, for example, are often active in smoking a cigarette after a meal or coffee. Use the triggers to your advantage. If you meditate after breakfast, then after a few weeks you will automatically think about meditation after breakfast.

Visual triggers also work. Laying your training clothes on the bed in the morning will encourage you to exercise when you get home from work.

Do it early

Exercise or meditate in the morning when the power of your will is great, and you will reap the reward all day long. Prepare a healthy dinner early so you don't get home hungry and without food.

Be ready

Make certain you have everything you'll need to succeed. Take comfy walking shoes if you wish to start a walking regimen. Make it as simple as possible for you to obtain the external resources required for change.

Make it comfortable

The more difficult it is and the longer it takes to act, the more likely you are to fail. That's why so many people who subscribe to the gym give up - it's not comfortable enough. Prepare everything you need according to the schedule, so that when the time comes to act you can do it as easily as possible, as the Nike slogan says, "Just do it"!

Have fun

If you don't like doing something, you're not going to keep doing it. Find ways to make your lifestyle changes as enjoyable as possible. Exercise with a friend, learn how to cook healthy, delicious food, or find a meditation program that truly resonates with you.

Don't interrupt the line

When Jerry Seinfeld was an unknown illustrious man, he made a habit of writing down new material every day using a wall calendar and a red marker. Every day he managed to write, he wrote a big red "X" on the calendar. He did not want to see any white day that would "break the line." Use this technique for a month and you will discover how your habit has already largely formed.

You may fool your brain into developing new neural connections by following these easy steps to form a habit. Once you've established the habit, you may utilize it as a springboard for more significant changes that will enhance your life. "A journey of ten thousand begins with one step," as Chinese wisdom so brilliantly expresses.