It takes 3 weeks to break (or make) a habit- this is something I learned during my rowing days.

3 weeks of devoted practice before it becomes routine- before it becomes just a little bit easier (even if it’s still kind of hard.)

Good news: there’s an app for that.

Our good friends Jill and Joe turned us onto Lift, a free app that prompts you to “succeed at everything.” No pressure.

The premise, though, is simple: Lift utilizes coaching, community, and data to help you reach your goals. You set goals, find a community of peers working towards the same goal, sign up for push notifications reminding you of your goal, and regularly check in to tell the app whether or not you completed it.

 

Easy peasy. Let’s give this a shot.

I’ve decided to start with three goals that have been on my mind for a while now- but I’ve been lacking motivation to get myself into gear. Here they are:

1. We’re trying to tame our sugar cravings. My goal is to limit myself to 1 “treat”/day. I’m defining a treat as 1 serving of something that with extra sugar or alcohol in it. Common examples: A cookie, a bite-size peppermint patty (there are about a million still lurking in my freezer), a glass of wine, a gin and tonic, a mug of hot cocoa, a handful of chocolate chips. Just one for the day.
2. We’re tackling running. This goal has already been put into place, but I’ve been slowly (emphasis on S L O W) ramping up my routine. These next 3 weeks, my goal is 4 runs/week, working up to a place where a 6 mile run feels do-able again.
3. Last of all-this one’s the toughie. This one scares me way more than it should. It should be really easy. It should be already happening in my head every day, but it’s not. Say “I love you” in front of a mirror, every day. Extra points if you say it mid-change, without the tummy sucked in, in a confident voice that you really believe. The end goal? I’d like to be this kid.

I’ll check back in with you in 3 weeks and  let you know the results. If you’ve got goals you’re looking to kick-start, let’s connect on Lift! They can be as big or as little as you want- popular ones are “tell my wife I love her every day” or “write down three things I’m grateful for” or “floss more.”

Let’s succeed at everything! (Or, maybe just in loving ourselves a little better. That feels like an important one.)