Think about the last time you got a new piece of art or furniture. For a while after you got it, it sort of popped out to you when your eyes scanned the room it was in. It seemed more vibrant, special, or interesting than the rest of the art/furniture. But then, perhaps a month or two after getting it, the new art/furniture blended into the rest of the room.… Read More »Reminder Blindness
“Now, here’s the deal … we don’t want to be like that moron at the gym who thinks he’s going to turn around seven years of sitting on the couch in one afternoon. Pick one area and just focus there. Start small. Go slow. Stretching and pushing ourselves too much and too quickly is a recipe for misery and anxiety.” –Tripp Lanier1 There’s a strange, old idea about how to… Read More »Boil Yourself Like a Frog: a Metaphor for Sticking with Healthy Habits
You know that big, important thing you’ve been putting off doing? That project? That chore? That behavioral change? Yeah, that thing. It’s time to get started. Oh, you thought I was joking? Get started, right now. Seriously, stop reading this and get started. Wait, you’re still here? Why are you still here? Let me guess… I bet you’re experiencing some kind of resistance. Resistance is a psychological phenomenon that arises… Read More »Resistance is a Compass
When it comes to behavioral change and healthy habits, I love commitment. Specifically, I’m a big believer in 100% commitment. When you go all in, your odds of success go way up. However, we sometimes think of commitment as a single, final decision, especially for major decisions like getting married or quitting drugs. In reality, commitment is a series of decisions you make over and over again. It’s an ongoing… Read More »Recommit