If you try to do a difficult task the hard way, it can quickly become impossible. If you’ve ever wondered why you tend to jump on and fall off the wellness wagon time and time again, this article is for you. 

So often our struggle is not really what we think it is. The real fight is hidden beneath layers of destructive beliefs that, unless uprooted, will continue to set us up for failure. 

These are the driving forces responsible for the disparity in what we say we value vs. what we actually do. It really comes down to: what do you believe? Because your beliefs dictate your actions. Your actions dictate your results. 

In this article, I’m going to uncover a common belief that will sabotage your health results. I’ll also touch on 3 non-negotiable mindset shifts that are essential for making your health habits stick. 

False Belief: Healthy Living Should Be Easy

We live in a world where we’ve become accustomed to instant results. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to become impatient when a webpage takes 2 to 3 seconds longer to load? It can be maddening. 

Because technology has developed so rapidly, instantaneous results are expected. But most often, the things in life worth having can’t be accomplished in a microwave minute – especially, when it comes to your health. 

But that’s not what we’re told. Instead, we’re bombarded with marketing, social media and cultural messages telling us we can lose weight in a weekend, solve our digestive issues with a supplement or do a 3-day juice cleanse to heal our ailments. It encourages the message that healthy living is easy if you just…(insert the latest wellness trend). 

You’re Not One Detox Away

The truth? Healthy living is not truly effortless. Yes, there are things we can do to make it easier, but it still requires focus and intention. The transformation comes from consistently following through on your routine day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year.

You have to be willing to stay the course and show up even when you’re not motivated or getting immediate results – even when it seems like nothing is happening. 

Most people don’t have the mental and emotional strength to do that, so they look for shortcuts. This is why there are so few people living at optimal health. True, lasting wellness is a shortcut free zone. 

But there is no shortage of people that will happily take your money in exchange for the supplement, strategy or diet plan that won’t actually lead to sustainable results. The real results are in the hard work. 

If it sounds daunting, it doesn’t have to be. The greatest battle is in your mind, but once you conquer this everything else will become so much easier. 

3 Mindset Shifts to Make Health Habits Stick

It’s not addressed often enough, but your thinking is the greatest indicator of whether or not you’ll be successful with your health goals. Here are three mindset shifts that are essential for making your wellness routine stick. 

1. Wellness that Sticks Is Rooted In Identity. Tactics (the trends we try and the things we buy) don’t address the necessity of becoming the person we need to be to get the results we want. Work on your identity and how you see yourself.
   
   
2. Wellness Is Highly Personal and Not a Copy and Paste Endeavor.  We can not “template” our way to optimal health. So, the workout or supplement stack that works for your friend may not give you the same results. 
   
   
3. Real Transformation Is Built, Not Bought. It’s achieved day by day, habit by habit with consistency over time. There are no shortcuts. 

When people don’t understand this, they get swept away chasing one tactic after another never truly rooted in anything and never getting lasting results. I know because I did this for years. 

How I Unknowingly Sabotaged My Fitness Routine

For years, consistent exercise felt like a 1000 pound gorilla that I could not defeat. I would have a great streak for a couple of weeks and then totally drop the ball for the next couple of months. I tried gym memberships, barre classes, working out with my husband, going to a Pilates studio and more. Nothing would ever stick. 

IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEMS

The first issue? An identity shift was absolutely necessary. For so long, my thinking about fitness was negative.  I viewed exercise as a painful chore that only gifted people can truly commit to. I had to change that. Once I started to see myself as someone who never misses a workout, everything became easier. 

Not only that, I found compelling reasons to layer onto my new identity, making me even more motivated. For example, exercise is one of the key levers for accessing longevity and aging in good health. Since that’s extremely important to me, this piece of information became additional fuel to the fire stoking the flames of the new reality I was creating. 

Problem #2: I had not created a winning system. And it started with first assessing my needs. One thing was clear: driving to a class multiple times a week was creating too much friction and did not work for my busy schedule. 

I needed something I could do at home in 20 to 30 minutes that didn’t require me to come up with my own workouts, but still provided a good burn. I found a Pilates-based app that I’ve been using, and I absolutely love it. 

I invested in some weights and light workout equipment and set up an area for myself in our basement that is “my” workout space. This addressed the personalization I needed to make this new habit a success. 

Putting It All Together

Because of my new identity as a person who doesn’t miss workouts – I found it much easier for the actions to follow. I started building fitness into my daily schedule and I stuck to it – especially when I didn’t feel like it. 

On busy days when my plans were derailed, I exercised wherever I could – including squats in the sauna, crazy cardio dance parties with the kids, or doing push-ups next to the stove while the stir-fry was cooking. Why? Because I’m a person who doesn’t miss her workouts. 

Now this transformation is locked in. I crave the movement, but before exercise was akin to a four-letter word. If you had asked me if that result was possible five years ago, I would have said no. But with time, intention and a consistent routine that works for me, I achieved my goal and now I’m working on the next thing. 

the Ball’s In Your Court

So, what’s it going to be for you? What identity shift are you ready to make to BECOME the person you need to be in order to get the results you want to have? What are you trying to copy and paste into your wellness routine that isn’t working for you? What can you do to personalize it?

Here’s an AI prompt you can try: Help me write an identity statement to make wellness my top priority. My biggest challenges are X and Y. Please also provide 3 suggestions to help me take action in this area.