How to Choose Empowering Habits
Written by Jess
Our dreams inspire us with hope, our actions give us the wings to fly - Adèle Basheer
This is the vibe you want every time you think about habits. Because itβs exactly what habits are - the actions that give you the wings to fly!
Yes, habits are the automatic behaviours and actions that form almost half of yourΒ everyday life. But theyβre so much more than brushing your teeth or drinking enough water, and habits becomeΒ your superΒ power when you choose to harness them.
In Part 1 of our Habits Series, we take you through an easy 5-step process for how to choose empowering and meaningful habits that best align with your top priorities.Β Ready to fly? Let's go!
Step 1: Check in with whatβs most important
While there are loads of routines and rituals we're told we βshould doβ ...before you get lost in the noise, take a big breath and pause.
The first step is to zoom out and shine a light on what's important to you, and the areas of life you want to see blooming.
Because ultimately you want to engage inΒ life-affirmingΒ habits that will lead you to achievingΒ yourΒ goals andΒ yourΒ why β not anyone else's.
ACTION STEP π‘Β
Step back and ask yourself:
- What areas of life are important to me right now?
- Where am I thriving?
- What areas need my attention?
- What areas of life do I want to see blooming?
π To help you brainstorm andΒ create a beautiful visual, download the 'Life in Bloom' printable.
π For folks with an Intrinsic Diary Planner, flip to the βLife in Bloomβ pages of the Discovery Journal. Whether youβre doing this for the first time, or redoing it now in a different season of life, this exercise is a powerful way to reveal a snapshot of your current satisfaction and fulfilment in life.
Step 2: Decide on your destination
Now that you know where youβre thriving and what life areas need some love, the next step is to decide on your destination.
By getting clear on your goals, youβll know where you want to go, and the version of yourself you're ready to embrace. And from there, it'll be easy to hone in on the habits that matter most!
ACTION STEP π‘Β
Ask yourself...
What goals would helpΒ me feel aligned and fulfilled in each of these life areas?Β Your goals might be things you want to accomplish by the end of the year, or a dream you're working towards achieving in the next 10 years.
Once youβve written your list of goals, answerΒ these questionsβ¦
- What feels most important to me right now?Β
- What one or two goals do I feel most inspired to focusΒ on now?
Β πΒ If youβre an Intrinsic Diary user, pop your goals into your Monthly Planner. This helps you move through the year with clarity, knowing exactly what to devote your time and energy to each month.
Step 3: Turn your dreams into achievable steps
Now for the fun part!Β Aligning your habitsΒ with your goals.
ACTION STEP π‘
Take the goals you've decided to focus on, and for each one ask yourself:
- What is the one habit I can implement now that would move me closer to this goal?
As you think about which habitΒ to choose, consider these tips:
- Make your habit fun-size: small, easy to pick up and deliciously achievable! Starting small and growing slowly are signs of strength in the world of habits,Β andΒ will meanΒ you're far moreΒ likely to stick to these routines.
- Get specific: When our habits arenβt specific enough, we end up creating mental blocks to getting them done. For example, if wellbeingΒ isΒ a life area you want to focus on,Β and your goal is to meditate more,Β instead of making your habit 'meditate', be moreΒ specific. 'I meditate for 2 minutes every morning whenΒ I first wake up'.Β
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Build upon existing habits: Is there a current habit that you consistently do, that you can now build upon through the power of habit stacking? For example:
You want to drink more water β When you pour yourself a cuppaΒ every morning, build upon this habit by finishing one glass of water while you wait for the kettle to boil.
You want to incorporate more mindfulness into your life β When you drop the kids to school each morning, build upon this habit by being present and have everyone in the car say at least one thing they notice on the drive.
Step 4:Β Commit to your habits - one by one!
Look at you go - a habit master in the making! Now itβs time to give yourself those wings to fly.
The trick is - don't overload yourself! We know how tempting it is to write a list of 10 habits, because you're feeling so empowered and motivated toΒ achieveΒ your goals.Β
Instead, youβre going to set yourself up for success by choosingΒ one or twoΒ habits that you can nailΒ this week, and embed into your daily life. Then you can keep adding on from there.Β
Step 5: Track and celebrate!
Habits become automatic when they are repeated over and over. And one of the best ways toΒ celebrate this and keep yourself accountable, is through tracking your progress.
AndΒ remember, it'sΒ about progress over perfection!
Everyone faces setbacks and challenges with sticking to new habits.Β See any obstacle as an opportunity to get curious and use our practical strategies for getting your habits back on track.Β
ACTION STEP π‘Β
- Use a Habit Tracker to write down the habits youβve chosen to work on. It will fuel your happy hormones when you tick off your habit each day, and will motivate you to keep going.
πΒ Don't be fooled by the simplicity of habit tracking βΒ not only is it a visual record of your accomplishments, each tick gives you a hit of dopamine and motivates you to keep going to hit that habit streak!Β ThisΒ isΒ exactly why we include a Habit Tracker in each weekly spread of our yearly Diary Planner.Β
And most importantlyβ¦.
Make sure you celebrate your wins and the knowledge you gain along the way!
Check in with yourself about how good it feels to be working towards positive change. Youβre making your goals and dreams come to lifeβ¦Β and becoming the best version of yourself each day you show up!
Our yearly Diary, Planner + Guided JournalΒ is filled with pages of life-enhancing tools and strategies to help you on your quest for habit success. Throughout the Diary, youβll discover what areas of life are most important to you right now, have space to record your goals, and celebrate your habit streaks with a Habit Tracker built into each weekly spread. Sign up to our VIP Waitlist, and be first to know when our 2025 Diary Collection is released!