CEO of your own health:
HEALTHY HABIT BUILDER

Before you build new habits, it’s important to understand how you’re doing right now and areas you may need to learn more about, such as understanding your symptoms and lab results at the doctor‘s. Checking in with your body and mind helps you notice patterns, recognize what’s working and figure out what needs attention – or maybe even help.

• How am I feeling physically? (tired, energized, sore, rested)
• How am I feeling emotionally? (stressed, calm, anxious, hopeful)
• What has been helping me feel good lately or draining my energy?
• What are some areas that I could focus on? (nutrition, exercise, routine, safety, relationships)

Setting a goal helps you stay motivated and gives your habits direction. Whether it’s something physical or emotional, your goal is a way to take charge of your health journey.

Think about something you want to improve,
learn or feel better about on the journey to take charge of your own health. Goals can be small improvements or big changes, and you can keep them to yourself.

Here are some ideas:

• Feel stronger and more confident through routine exercise
• Focus on building relationships with others that make me feel safe and loved
• Build a consistent sleep routine around bedtime
• Be more open and proactive about my health with my doctor

By pausing to take time to set goals, you can continuously improve your physical and emotional health by being focused on becoming a healthier you.

Your habits are the building blocks of your health goal(s). Healthy habits don’t have to be big or complicated. Sometimes, starting small and choosing a few actions each week can make a big difference over time. Focus on habits that feel doable and meaningful to you.

Determine 3 healthy habits to focus on. These should be realistic actions that support your well-being. You can change them weekly based on what you need most. You may want to set a timeline for yourself too. Do you want to commit to these habits for the week? The month? The year?

Examples to inspire you:

• Build fitness and health into your schedule 3-4 times this week, with a mix of activities you enjoy, such as walking, running, yoga or weightlifting
• Focus on nutrition that includes a balanced amount of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber, vitamins and
  minerals
• Pause each day to complete a journaling exercise that helps you be more in touch with how you’re feeling
• Prioritize spending time with people who make you feel your best
• Monitor your heart rate with a smartwatch to understand which activities increase your heart rate the most

After some time, such as 1 month, evaluate your actions toward your habits to determine if you’ve made progress toward your goals. Progress isn’t always linear – but we can help monitor how we’re doing by pausing to think.

Ask yourself:

• Did change happen?
• What are some things you still need to work on to progress toward your goals?
• Were there any roadblocks?
• Do you need help? Who could you ask?