My old habit change approach is hogwash!

We’ve all been there: You have a goal for a new habit you want to cultivate, write it down, make a big deal about it, stick it on your calendar, tell your friends and loved ones, and for me, it then becomes this BIG THING that adds a ton of pressure, and becomes a burden and then when I miss a day, I beat myself up, which makes me bummed about it the next day, (then I write run-on sentences) and eventually I quit because THIS SUCKS and I DON’T NEED MORE PRESSURE IN MY LIFE!!!

Sound familiar? 

Here’s the thing—I think we are making goals harder than they need to be, at least for certain kinds of goals.

Recently, I wanted to change my eating habits. More veggies, less sugar, and instead of writing it all down, getting accountability partners, making a tracking spreadsheet and creating a plan—I just started doing it. I acted as if it was already my habit. No fanfare, no overthinking, just do the thing.

Guess what? It worked!  (Not 100% of the time, but more than yesterday, and each day gets mostly better.)  So I did the same with working out. Rather than building a complicated system, I just did it. When it comes to long-term habits you want to stick with forever, this no-fuss approach feels lighter, easier, and way less stressful.

Of course, for goals with a specific end date (like writing my tattoo memoir book—stay tuned for that!), planning, accountability, and milestones will be super helpful. But for habits? Just start. No big deal, no big pressure.  It’s just what we do. 

It sounds too simple, but I think in today’s super hustle bustle, go go go, life hacks and planners and caffeine world, we might make things harder than they need to be sometimes.  

So, as you are planning your 2025 intentions, what’s one habit you’d like to change forever? Give this approach a shot.  Might not work, but it might be the lighter, simpler approach that actually makes the new habit stick.  

Go get ’em Tiger

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