Sunday Newsletter - Habits For Being Your Best (10 March 2024)
Mar 10, 2024
Happy Mothers day (UK)!
What a wonderful time to celebrate women.
I hope you are taking time for you today whether you are a mother or not? Have that extra blessed few moments in bed; Take your coffee into the garden and be with nature; Read that book you have been wanting to read; Spend time with your friends, laughing and catching up.
I am sipping on strong Java coffee and contemplating how I can be kind to myself today. What can I do to celebrate just being me? I am also putting the finishing touches to my presentation in this weeks…
THE global women's summit of 2024:
The Fully Booked Fempreneurs Festival
#fullybookedfempreneurs
I have a 20 minute slot on the 14th at 7 pm (UK) and yes, you’ve guessed it, I am presenting a short workshop on happiness.
The festival is free and here is a reminder of the details:
Mark your Calendars for March 11-14th!
π 4 days of thought-provoking TEDX style talks
π70+ expert speakers from around the world covering topics on the Strategy, Energetics, Mindset and Personal Development/Mental Health of getting Fully Booked
π3 highly sought after, 7-figure coaches headlining each day (get ready to be BLOWN AWAY!!)
πNetwork in a global group of high calibre entrepreneurial women, just like you!
This is a no-pitch event with a focus on CONNECTION and EXPANSION
Tickets are free, or your can opt for the VIP Upgrade for only $99
Grab your tickets HERE!
The energy is already buzzing and I am excited to be one of the speakers - I can't wait to see you there!
Beating my Drum
I so enjoyed my African Drum lesson yesterday. It’s a powerful reminder of muscle memory, the power of the unconscious and how magic can happen when we get our conscious mind out of the way.
It highlights my bad habits of spending too much time in my head and on screens. It’s easy to justify this to myself and it’s still a habit I want to change.
It has inspired me to spend less time on screens and to work with my physiology more, whether that’s cleaning or cooking or gardening. The importance of movement has become very apparent to me. It creates that connection between the earth and the mind/body/spirit/energy.
Do you make time to move and be present in your body, while giving your chattering mind a rest?
Would you like to change some of those less empowering habits?
This Weeks Business Boost
The 21-Day Difference
Stephen Covey wrote, “Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.”
It’s true, our destiny is largely the sum of our thoughts, actions, habits and character. Each of those builds into the next. Our thoughts produce actions; our actions result in habits; and our habits build our character. The day we stop trying to better ourselves is the day we start dying.
I want to continue to grow in my character for as long as I have breath. And I know that my character will largely determine my destiny.
If you stop to think about it, Covey’s quote is quite profound. To illustrate what I mean, start at the end and work backwards in his equation.
If someone were to tell you to establish your destiny, it becomes clear very quickly that you need a process and steps in order to make that happen.
The same is true for character-building. If someone challenges you to improve your character, you might ask, “OK, how do I do that? What do I do to improve my character? What is my strategy for doing so?”
Covey gives us the answer. It’s in our habits: the way we conduct ourselves, our daily routines, the values we live by, and the vices we choose to avoid. And of course, we build our habits through our thoughts and actions.
Experts tell us that it takes about 21 days to turn a new practice into a habit. And of course, thoughts and actions go into establishing that new habit or breaking an old one.
Why Break an Old Habit?
There may be many reasons for wanting to break an old habit. An old habit may be a routine that’s negative, counter-productive, or destructive.
Perhaps we didn’t consciously choose that habit but slipped into it:
Þ Going to bed too late every night
Þ Getting up too late every morning
Þ Watching too much TV
Þ Watching movies that leave you feeling down or distracted
Þ Drinking too much alcohol
Þ Practicing some other vice
Þ Exhibiting anger while driving
Þ Being curt or snippy with your spouse, children, or other loved ones
Þ Eating poorly
Þ Etc.
That list isn’t intended to make you feel guilty, but those items are common habits that many people seek to change. And we often minimize their impact on our lives. For instance, let’s say you’re on your way to an important meeting with a client and on your way there, you have a tense altercation with the driver in another vehicle. You are so angry with that driver’s actions and attitudes that the event has you flustered and distracted. You arrive at the coffee shop to meet your client and you can’t get the road-rage out of your head.
We don’t simply turn off those emotions and go into our meeting as though nothing happened. Our thoughts, actions and habits in one aspect of our life impact other areas of our life as well.
Why Establish New Habits?
We establish new habits through our thoughts and actions for our physical, emotional, psychological, relational, and spiritual well-being. And, as Covey points out, because habits help form our character.
If you’re an entrepreneur with a product or service to sell, you know that people do business with those they know, like and trust.
That speaks of character, and your character is built on your everyday thoughts, actions and habits.
The 21-Day Difference
It takes about 21 days to break an old habit and establish a new one (though science is beginning to show this could be more like 60 – 90 days. That’s had an impact on how I set up my coaching packages).
By starting a new habit, we invariably break an old one. We’re setting out to change our behavior. We want to establish good habits so they become part of us. We don’t have to think about performing something that’s a habit. It becomes part of who we are (like driving your car or playing a drum), which explains why habits are so crucial to building character.
Here are a few tips for breaking and establishing a new habit:
1. Take baby steps. This the concept is sound and was crucal to me creating a new way of being for myself after caring for my parents.
Another way to put is, “Don’t bite off too much.” For instance, if you have not been jogging and want to start, don’t go out and run five miles your first day. Start with a distance and pace that won’t put you in traction for the next two weeks!
We are often so intent on starting a new habit that we overdo it, fail, and end up abandoning the new practice.
2. Replace a bad habit with a good one. Habits are hard to break. But many find that replacing an old one with a new one makes it easier all the way around. For example, if you wanted to watch less TV and read more books, replace your TV time with reading time.
Be sure to replace an old habit with a new one that you really desire. Trying to establish a new habit that you don’t care for or aren’t committed to just to get rid of an old habit probably won’t work.
3. Engage the help of a confidant. We often try to quit a bad habit and establish a new one without the help of others. But there is huge benefit in telling someone you trust what you plan to do. Your confidant may be able to give you sound advice and help keep you accountable. Not wanting to let your friend down can be a powerful motivator.
Give them permission to ask you how you’re doing along the way. You might even ask them to join you in your pursuit of a new habit.
4. Get up when you fall. Slip-ups inevitably occur. The question is, what will you do when you blow it? Tell yourself that was an anomaly, a fluke, and strengthen your resolve to institute this new habit. Don’t let a temporary failure derail you.
5. Recognize and manage your triggers.
Triggers are things that signal a habit. For instance, many people when they sit down to watch TV also habitually eat or drink something that’s not healthy.
If the habit you want to change is eating healthier, recognize the trigger of watching TV. You can either remove the trigger altogether or take note of it and adjust your eating habits whenever the trigger is present.
6. Practice your new habit for 21 days. Instil this new habit in your life by practicing it every day for a least 21 days, or 30 or 60, until it becomes second nature.
If the habit is not something you do daily, it may take you longer to make it a habit. You’ll know it’s a habit when you do it automatically without thinking or without great effort. Like me practicing drumming a certain piece until it is muscle-memory and my body does it automatically.
Good habits are usually things we enjoy doing and look forward to as well.
Our thoughts, actions and habits determine our character and destiny.
What would you like to be known for? What is the destiny you desire for yourself?
Twenty-one days can make a huge difference in your character and destiny. What old habit would you like to discard? What new habit would you like to establish?
I can tell you first hand, nothing will light your fire like a good coach.
Not someone who merely feeds your ego with motivational platitudes, but someone who treats your business like a business...
Someone who can help you plan your next move, and give you a sense of accountability.
Someone who can help you incrementally add new habits to your life and business in such a way that they become easy and natural and contribute to your success.
That level of coaching has always been a luxury expense...out of reach for most individuals and entrepreneurs.
I have the space for three new clients this quarter. Email me and let’s chat if you’ve decided it’s time to get serious and commit to your success this year.
Choosing Happy Podcast Update
I want to celebrate my journey and the contribution all of my guests have made in the past couple of years.
Look out for that very special episode on 18th March 2024.
All previous episodes are available…
You can listen on your favourite podcast host or on the website at www.choosinghappypodcast.com
Also before I go, 2 quick things:
#1 - I've re-opened applications for my Content to Coaching – 1-1 package. Take the content you already have and create a high-ticket coaching package to offer to your existing audience, in 30 days or less. Email me to apply.
#2 - And remember I have 3 open spaces for this quarters 1-1 coaching, to ensure you breakthrough your blocks and start living your dreams. Email me to chat so you can grab your spot.
That's it for this week!
May love, peace and healing surround you. May your families and friends be safe in these times.
And always remember, if you fancy a coffee and a chat, I am only an email away.
Wishing you a week blessed with opened hearted compassion, joy filled days, good health, prosperity, grace and ease!
Heather
Heather V Masters
Chief Coach, Trainer and Facilitator of Magic
Taking Your Business Online and Choosing Happy Podcast
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
P.S. Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:
#1: I just launched a new Coffee and Catchup on my YouTube Channel (beginning Monday (Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning – 11 am – live). I'm putting a ton of energy into creating heaps of valuable live content that I think you'll like. It’s my aim to create a healthy habit of live content that serves you. Come check out my channel, and give me a like and subscribe.
#2: Mastermind Day
I have a VIP Mastermind day in March, for 4 Entrepreneurs who are wanting to review goals, strategies, growth, content and more. You can find the details here:
https://heather-masters.mykajabi.com/VIP_mastermind
#3: Follow me on LinkedIn for more Tech, strategy, systems, marketing tips, and happiness-building.
P.P.S. If you are interested in copywriting services and creating a portfolio for your business drop me a line and we can arrange to chat.
If you have something you want to ask, drop me an email and let's get your questions answered.
Email: [email protected]
Stay connected with news and updates!
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.
Don't worry, your information will not be shared.
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
