Chris Loper has been writing about self-improvement and helping busy adults with habit formation since 2017. He also writes an education blog for parents and students for Northwest Educational Services. Along with Greg Smith, Chris is the cocreator of Parenting for Academic Success, a series of transformative classes that create empowered parents, confident students, and harmonious families. His most recent endeavor combines his academic and habit-formation expertise to help students thrive in college. Visit SmartCollegeHabits.com to learn more. In 2021, Chris published a humorous memoir titled Wood Floats and Other Brilliant Observations, a book that blends crazy stories with practical life lessons. He lives in Issaquah, WA where he is the owner of South Cove Tutoring.
When you feel a craving for something – a cookie, a beer, Instagram – what does the craving say? It says, “You need this. Right now.” And our default response is to believe what the craving says. But it turns out that both the need and the now are lies. In fact, cravings aren’t just lies, they’re illusions. Cravings are Externally Triggered I recently did this jigsaw puzzle: Although I… Read More »Your Cravings Are Illusions
The most important skill we can develop is the capacity to make good choices. The choices we make about food and exercise influence our physical health. The choices we make about how to respond to life’s adversities affect our success and psychological wellbeing. And the choices we make about self-improvement direct the very course of our lives. One of the best ways I’ve found to make better choices is to… Read More »The Power of Choice
Imagine walking up a muddy hill wearing flip flops. Sure, you should focus on where you’re putting your feet, making a conscious effort to maintain balance and not slip. Certainly, you should not let your eyes or mind wander away from this difficult task. But really, you should swap your flip flops for hiking boots and use trekking poles. That will make far more of a difference. Tools and tactics… Read More »The Secret to Overcoming Distractions
Happy New Year! The holiday parties are over, the cookies have been eaten, and that can only mean one thing: It’s time to make your New Year’s resolution. But this year’s going to be different. You’re actually going to succeed in this annual ritual of behavioral change. Why? Because this year you’re going to be strategic. Before we dive in, two caveats in case you’re reading this after January 1st:… Read More »9 Ways to Actually Stick to Your New Year’s Resolution