Wondering how to get healthy? Start with healthier. Start with asking yourself: What does being “healthier” look like to you?
- More energy instead of constant exhaustion?
- Moving your body instead of never exercising?
- Feeling steady with food instead of stuck in a yo-yo cycle?
- Calm instead of constantly stressed?
Maybe one of these resonates. Maybe all of them do.
So how do you actually make those shifts? What behaviors move you in that direction?
One of the biggest traps in behavior change is waiting to feel motivated. Or worse: believing you need to become a totally different person first — the kind of person who would be motivated.
That’s where you can get paralyzed.
It’s impossible to overhaul who you are in a day. And perhaps you don’t want or need to change who you are at all – you just want to change what you do. But you can start as you are – today.
Consider this example. Rachel Accurso didn’t start out as Ms. Rachel, a YouTube children’s singing and education star and activist with a net worth of $50 million. She started as a music teacher at a public preschool who started taking an action: consistently posting singing and education videos on YouTube. She didn’t change who she was to start taking the action. Her consistent action helped shape the public figure she has become.
That’s the shift: Don’t wait for motivation or a new identity.
Just do the actions. Consistently.
If you want change, it’s the small, repeated actions — turned habits — that can help get you there.
How to start taking small actions toward being healthier
Keep it simple. Almost too simple. Remove overwhelm and just begin.
- If you want to be the kind of person who has more energy: Get in bed at 9:30 with a book. (More sleep supports energy, and physical and mental recovery.)
- If you want to be the kind of person who exercises consistently: Go for a 1-mile walk or jog before work. (Consistency builds the habit — updates in intensity can come later.)
- If you want to be the kind of person who has a more balanced relationship with food: Add a protein, carb, fat, and something colorful to your plate. (This helps meals feel more satisfying and nourishing.)
- If you want to be the kind of person who stays calm and relaxed: Take a couple minutes before your workday to pause. Focus on your breath —10 slow inhales and exhales — or simply listen to something calming, like rain sounds.
Start with small actions. Repeat them often.
