Healthy Habits and the Brain
A goal is an intention backed by an action plan. But plan as we might, generally, the success or failure of our goals is more dependent on our habits than our planning
Why? Because it takes thought and effort to do something new. The moment that major stressors arise, our attention turns to urgent matters, which leaves our behaviors left on default autopilot to sustain us. Our resolutions can be derailed by stressors, while we revert to our usual habits for such things as self-soothing, exercise, eating, routines or self-care.
The only way to keep our goals on track is to make a plan to turn our behaviors for new goals into habits.
A habit is something you do often, regularly, and without conscious thought. From a neurological perspective, it’s an entrenched synapse pathway, essentially like a patterned groove, formed by the brain that allows us to learn, memorize and simplify our patterns of thoughts and behaviors. This ongoing habit-forming process frees our brains to learn new things or attend to the urgent.
In fact, 40-95% of our healthy and unhealthy behaviors are actually habits (Walesh, n.d.). Walking, playing an instrument, and pouring coffee are all patterned physical habits. But so are our addictions and our go-to ways of managing stress. For example, our positive or negative world view is habitual, in addition to our assumptions about others and our tendencies toward curiosity, distrust, self-pity, power-struggles, or denial. Our emotional responses can be habitual as well, with brain-associated triggers for anger, sadness or pleasure. Lastly, we have spiritual habits as well, such as “praying always”, practicing spiritual disciplines, or responding unconsciously with gratitude or resentment.
The good news is that with some thought and effort, you can intentionally create new habits. By analyzing your current patterns, you can build on good habits and slowly extinguish others.
Here are a few hints for developing a new habit:
Begin with the end in mind. The first habit you need to develop is a habit of goal-setting. Focus in a specific way and time every day on the goal you have set.
Make a plan. It must be specific and broken down into bite-sized pieces.
Visualize yourself successfully living out your detailed plan. Meditate on it. Put pictures up of yourself being successful. Imagine how you will feel when you accomplish each daily step.
Make a plan for failures. Expect setbacks and visualize how you will start again, without beating yourself up for failing. Plan to study your setback to make it a learning experience for better success next time.
Create an atmosphere for success. Have accountability partners. Remove temptations. Rearrange your spaces so that you are motivated to succeed. Connect with others with common goals; avoid those who derail or discourage you.
Track your progress. Without judgment. notice what helps and what hinders your success, then make adjustments.
Reward yourself for success. Perhaps one major reward will motivate you to the end goal, but most of us need little encouragements for daily successes. Try “gold stars” on your tracking chart, telling your accountability partner, or bragging about it with a supportive friend.
Pray about it. Talk to God about your successes, failures, and reasons for your goals. Ask for His help to empower you (Phillipians 4:13) and to change your heart (Psalm 51:10) to desire to please Him. Memorize scriptures that relate to your goal.
The Bible acknowledges that our struggle against our unconscious sinful habits is real and powerful (Romans 7:15-25). We need to stop working against ourselves by trying to overcome these with grit, and instead, use our good intentions, the natural design of our brains, good practice and the aid of God to help us to succeed.
