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2 Steps to Start Creating Functional Habits


Creating Functional Habits is easier than you might think.

Begin by asking yourself the following questions: What habits do you want to change? What bad habits would you like to stop? What healthy habits do you want to start?

If you’re feeling stuck or unsure where to start, here are 2 Steps to start creating functional habits right now:

1.    Know the What and Why of the Habit you want to Change

2.    Letting go of Old Beliefs that are getting in your way of

Changing Habits

1.     WHAT is the Habit you are wanting to change? Completely define WHAT. Know the WHY behind your wanting to change this habit.

For example, if you want to stop eating sugar:

  1. What is sugar?  Define it.  What are the different names of sugar?  Differences between artificial sugar, natural and added sugar?  How much

Functional habits
  1. Why is sugar bad for you?

  2. Are you addicted?

  3. Why are you addicted?

  4. Is it causing inflammation in your body?

  5. What about sugar causes inflammation?

Apply this same concept if you want to:

  1. Get better sleep

  2. Eat more vegetables

  3. Set healthy boundaries

  4. Be less stressed

  5. Be more mindful

To be committed on changing habits you need to know what and why.  Knowledge is power.  When you are committed, you do what it takes.  When you are interested you do what is convenient.

2.    What are your old beliefs that are getting in the way?

What are old beliefs?

All of us have picked up beliefs about ourselves through our entire lives from what is said and not said to us. What is done or not done to us. We observe reactions to us. We all have our own perception about the information from our environment.  This is who we imagine ourselves to be.  We have continual internal dialogue with ourselves that confirms all these beliefs.

How can we change habits if we have set old beliefs?  What habit are you trying to change?

Someone wants to eat healthier to help lose weight. The old belief is that they don’t have any willpower.

They gathered this old belief because:

  1. A parent told them when they were young that their lack of willpower came by them naturally – that was told to them a few times.

  2. A teacher mentioned that their lack of willpower to stay organized probably hindered their ability to better in school

  3. They now say to themselves that they don’t have the willpower to lose weight

It does not take very much to make an old belief strong and concrete.

But despite this awareness, you don’t challenge them. It’s more comfortable to just accept what you have believed for so long. Perhaps the belief will just melt away at some point, so why bother putting in the hard work that challenging it may entail?

Take the habit you would like to change.  Write out all the old beliefs that are attached to why you might not be able change this habit.  Challenge these beliefs.  Put them in front of your brain every time they come up.  Work on actively letting them go so you can move forward.  Calling them out and being aware of them is the first step to letting them go and moving towards changing those habits.


Nutrition Home Page - Gluten Free Diet Springfield MO

Brandy Hickman is the owner of 2B Well, a Certified Integrative Nutrition Counselor, and a Registered Yoga Teacher.

Learn more about 2B Well Nutrition

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