Guest Contributor
Ms. Susan Treadway, an addict in recovery, authored the following guest post. She uses a holistic approach to sobriety to stay on a successful path and believes adopting even a few holistic methods can help anyone struggling with addiction.
Susan wants everyone to know that you don’t have to be a hippie to embrace holistic wellness – this concept is simply about focusing on your entire sense of well-being rather than just one part. She hopes her website, rehabholistics.com, will inspire anyone who has struggled with addiction to incorporate holistic practices into their own self-care routine.
Turning a new healthy habit into a permanent way of life takes a lot of determination and motivation. If you find that you’re struggling to stick with some new healthy habits you’ve started, or if you just need a little extra guidance and inspiration, Martial-Fitness Minimart is here to help. We’ve got 4 handy tips to help you transform short-term changes into permanent lifestyle choices.
Be Consistent
Think about some personal accomplishments that make you feel proud. Did you achieve success by doing these things occasionally, or did you invest time and effort into your accomplishments on a regular basis? People who regularly take actionable steps toward accomplishing their goals typically see better results.
Make Goals a Priority
Take a look at your calendar or personal planner. It’s probably packed with reminders to attend meetings, birthday parties, and medical appointments… but are there any reminders to work on your goals? Life gets hectic, and it’s easy to put your goals on the backburner as you handle other commitments. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to achieve your goals if you don’t schedule time to address them.
Schedule some time to tackle your goals a few times a week, even if you can only initially commit to 5 or 10 minutes a day. When it’s time to work on goals, don’t attempt to multitask. You can take phone calls or answer emails later. You deserve some time to yourself each day, whether you spend it creating a grocery list for healthy ingredients or doing 50 jumping jacks. Healthy living can help with conditions such as chronic pain, high blood pressure, depression, or even addiction. So be sure to set aside time to take care of yourself every day.
Make Adjustments as Needed
There are times when long-term success isn’t reasonable, no matter how badly you want a change to become permanent. Sometimes the problem is your plan for achieving the goal rather than the goal itself. Other times, goals can be unrealistic, like losing 100 pounds in 3 months.
Determine whether your new healthy habit can potentially become permanent by asking yourself the following questions:
- Do I have good physical and emotional health?
- Could my job become an impediment to success? (See this list of least healthy industries from ZenBusiness)
- How much time can I commit to my goal each week?
- Is this the right time in my life to pursue this goal?
- Can I afford this goal?
Answer these questions honestly so that you can decide whether to cancel or revamp your goals. You may need to change the way you work on a goal, or you may need a new goal.
Keep in Mind — Timing Is Personal
Psych Central believes that there’s no perfect time to focus on self-improvement because it requires effort to find the time. While this is true in some cases, keep in mind that every situation is different. Sometimes you really should delay goals.
As an example — half of a couple going through an expensive divorce may want to hold off on returning to college. Instead, they should finalize the division of assets. This helps ensure financial stability before courses start.
A temporary change can become a long-term lifestyle choice with the necessary steps. Reevaluate the goal on an as-needed basis, and follow-through on habit-forming actions on a regular basis.
All the best in your quest for transformation!
Eric
