Reimagining Midlife Wellness, Part V – Consistency
This is the fifth installment of a multi-part series on Reimagining Midlife Wellness, focusing on the importance of strengthening our vitality as we get older, especially in times of transition. These articles will provide a framework to help you define what matters most to you at this stage of your life and ways to continue to take positive action to be well.
In Part V of the series, we’ll be exploring the third Athena Principle, which is consistency, defined as the art of staying committed and engaged, especially during challenging times.
Perhaps you’ve heard the stories. An NFL coach arrives at the playing facility on a July 4th holiday to find his all-star running back doing drills and running stadium steps all by himself. Or the NBA superstar who was in the gym shooting baskets the morning after winning an NBA championship. Or the infamous anti-inflammatory nutrition and flexibility protocols a celebrity quarterback followed year-round that extended his playing career into his forties.
This type of preparation exists in the business world as well, with corporate executives (this retired executive included) overpreparing for important meetings and practicing presentations repeatedly, aloud and in front of the mirror, years into a career, to build the confidence needed to take command in the board room.
The common thread weaving through each of these stories is the importance of consistent action, a critical factor in determining success because it leads to reliable outcomes and results. The reverse is true as well – inconsistent action usually equates to less-than-optimal results.
Why is consistency so impactful? Repetition creates an environment of continuous improvement where feedback and learning can be applied, allowing adjustments to be made in real time while moving toward the intended outcome. This trial-and-error approach builds trust with our inner knowing and develops new habits we begin to rely upon as we find our own way. Then, our level of personal empowerment increases because we realize that the responsibility for a beneficial outcome lies within us, leaving little room for blame or excuse.
The more we practice consistency, the more we come to know that being present each day is the key to moving closer to realizing our intentions. With consistent effort, we notice it becomes easier to bypass distractions and immediate gratification in favor of crafting a lifestyle that supports good habits and making the right wellness choices over the long-term.
Momentum builds when we understand that true satisfaction comes from incremental, deliberate choices linked to desired behaviors. We begin embracing the process and the work that is moving us toward our desires.
And that’s the sweet spot and an indication that our lifestyle has shifted – when we begin to enjoy our wellness practices. We find that consistent preparation, effort, learning and adjustment are the driving forces of the whole wellness equation – it’s all about how you choose to show up for yourself.
Great leaps of effort are not required to begin to move toward your intentions. In fact, studies have shown that small steps taken consistently lead to lasting change. Plan to start your wellness efforts with a series of micro-actions. Before long, you’ll feel the momentum build and know when you’re ready to increase the frequency and intensity of your actions.
Now it’s your turn. Bring a wellness intention to mind. Where are you in relation to where you’d like to be? What are your expectations and what’s your available time commitment? How might you begin to move from a basic wellness level toward an optimal one?
Here are nine steps to begin to craft a suitable approach of consistent action:
Review your wellness intention and clarify your area of focus;
Begin where you are, with a realistic view of your current circumstances, ability, and time commitment – be mindful not to overcommit at first;
Select a suitable first step or micro-action that gets you actively moving forward with little effort;
Connect this activity with your “Why” (from the last article), focusing on the benefit and additive value this action will bring to your life;
Create a routine to make taking action easier (e.g., a start date, calendar appointment, preparing a gym bag or food the evening before);
Pay attention to the inner critic and have a plan to offset a negative talk track should it surface;
Anticipate and clear your biggest obstacles to the extent possible;
Share your plan with a trusted friend as extra incentive not to skip the action or hit the snooze button in the morning; and
Track progress in a way that’s visible and tangible.
A quick personal story before I get to your takeaway. If I look back over the last 25 years, my wellness intentions haven’t changed all that much. I want to eat healthy, move my body, maintain a positive mindset, and be creative and actively engaged in life.
What has changed over the years is how I stay consistent. I have continuously adjusted my routine to align with my life at any given time, such as when I traveled extensively for work a few years back. Recently, while contributing to the care of a loved one, I had to adjust once more, creating a new schedule to get my runs and weight training workouts in between my caregiving sessions. I have also restarted a sitting meditation practice each morning, something I haven’t needed since my Wall Street days.
And now, your takeaway. How do you make consistency the new norm? Consistency is what builds healthy habits that are integrated into your lifestyle rather than sporadic activity that leaves you open to bargaining on whether or not to do it.
Here are some ideas to help make wellness the norm:
Immerse yourself in your new activity by learning about it, reading, listening to podcasts, meeting others with the same interests and having fun discovering new things together.
Be true to yourself rather than fitting in with someone else’s wellness expectations and implement changes that matter most to you. What changes will make you feel good and are actionable for you at this time?
During the first four weeks of a new activity, try not to make exceptions to your new activity schedule. Instead, to the extent possible, get into a solid groove.
On the days you’re not feeling motivated, perform your activity anyway. A substandard effort is better than none at all, especially in the beginning.
Wellness choices do not need to be categorized as good or bad, checked-off or missed. Instead, view choices as those that are right for that day and moment and choose mindfully.
In summary, long-term success is not about perfection. Our best plans can go awry. The key is getting back on track as soon as possible and using the feeling of being off-course to adjust and move forward.
I hope this article helped you remember that wellness is a journey, not a destination; it’s a way of life that will ebb and flow. The overall aim is to make healthy choices the norm over time, not the exception or something you have to do.
Small achievements can lead to large accomplishments. With enough practice, you will reach a tipping point where things get easier with less mental and emotional effort. Wellness becomes the norm when you keep upgrading your lifestyle, little by little, expecting more of yourself over time, while gradually moving your wellness target forward at periodic intervals.
Where intentions meet consistency – that’s where the magic happens.
Journal Reflections: What has gotten the way of your wellness consistency? What wellness intention would make the most impact in your life? What can you do today to ensure you take consistent action?
Notes:
You can download The Athena Principles overview @ athenawellness.com/actionplan to help you chart your unique path.
If you prefer, you can listen to this article here: Episode 218