Ready to improve your health? To transform how you look and feel in your mind and body?
Sometimes the key to creating better health isn’t adding more to your life — it’s removing what’s holding you back.
In this week’s blog post, you’ll:
- Discover 4 simple changes you need to make to improve your mental and physical health
- Learn why what you stop matters more than what you start for lasting health and happiness
- Find out the one-word shift in your language that makes breaking bad habits easier
Why “Not-To-Do” Lists Work Better
“Not-to-do” lists are often MORE effective than a list of things you should be doing. They eliminate problems, rather than giving you more to do when you’re already overwhelmed by everything you should be doing to improve your health.
The secret? Frame these choices with “I don’t…” rather than “I can’t…” Research shows this simple language shift creates a sense of control rather than a feeling of deprivation.
And as I always share, remember, sustainable change happens one step at a time. So, choose just one habit to focus on this week.
1. Stop Carrying Your Phone Everywhere
Challenge: Put your phone away for at least one hour each day. Better yet, take a whole afternoon every weekend.
Put it on silent, and in a drawer where you can’t see it. You’ll quickly discover nothing bad happens when you don’t respond to every notification immediately.
More importantly, you’ll feel the benefits instantly:
- Less social comparison and self-doubt
- Reduced overthinking and overwhelm
- Increased calm and mental clarity
- A greater feeling of control over your time
- More meaningful connections with those around you
Try it for a few days, and see what happens, because being attached to your phone 24/7 is no way to spend the precious time we have on this planet.
2. Stop Reacting, Start Responding
When something bothers you — an unthoughtful comment, unkind word or upsetting situation — practice pausing before you respond.
Your initial reaction is often driven by emotion and old stories in your mind, rather than your best, most thoughtful and kind self (the one you’d be proud of!).
That one-second pause gives you just enough time to create a gap between stimulus and response, allowing you to choose how you respond, which helps you feel much more in control.
Try this practice:
- Notice when your emotions start to take over
- Take three deep breaths and try to name what you’re feeling
- Ask yourself: “What would my best self do here?”
This simple habit reduces stress and feelings of regret, improves relationships, and helps you make decisions aligned with your values rather than fleeting emotions.
3. Stop All-Or-Nothing Thinking
The perfectionist mindset is the enemy of consistent progress (I know this one from experience!).
How often have you abandoned healthy habits because you “messed up” once?
- Skipped a workout and gave up on exercise all week
- Had one unhealthy meal and declared the whole day ruined
- Missed a day of meditation and quit it completely
The healthiest and happiest women aren’t perfect — they’re consistent. They understand that something is always better than nothing.
When you catch yourself in all-or-nothing thinking, practice saying: “Any action, perfect or imperfect, moves me forward. I’ll always be proud of doing something over nothing.”
4. Stop “Finding Time”, Start Making It
Time for yourself doesn’t magically appear, and you certainly don’t find time!
The happiest and healthiest women make time for themselves by scheduling and committing to it like any other important meeting or appointment.
Side note: This is one reason working with a health coach is so successful — you schedule time every week to work your top health goals, and because you’re committed to it financially too, you show up.
Try this approach:
- Choose one thing you wish you did more consistently — exercise, reading, meditation, walking
- Add it to your calendar as a recurring appointment
- Start with just 5-15 minutes if that’s all you have
Remember: what gets scheduled gets achieved. YOU deserve to be a priority on YOUR calendar.
Ready To Transform Your Habits?
If you know you want to change — to improve your health, yourself and your life — but don’t know where to begin, start by eliminating these four habits.
Often, what you stop doing matters more than what you start.
Want to learn more about habits and how to change them?
Download your FREE 5-step guide below, and I’ll show you exactly how to change and where to start.
This Week’s Motivating Quote
Small daily choices create massive results over time. The person you become tomorrow is shaped by the habits you practice today.
Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear which of these resonated most with you. Download your free 5-step guide and reply to my email to let me know.
Until next week,
Becky x
P.S. If you found this helpful, forward it to a friend who might need it too. And subscribe to my free weekly newsletter for more advice, tips and motivation delivered straight to your inbox.