ABC of Mental Health

Hello! Welcome to another edition of the ABC of Mental Health, your partner in the journey to better mental health — one newsletter at a time. This week’s theme is building habits. We bring it to your inbox this Thursday to make your Thursday a little therapeutic!  

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One Relevant recommendation

Atomic Habits (Book, 2018) 

“Atomic Habits” by James Clear, an author and speaker, is a comprehensive, and practical guide that explores building habits using behavioural and psychological principles. The book draws from real-time examples, stories, and insights from people from all walks of life, and demonstrates how small changes can bring about bigger shifts in the quality of our lives over time. It’s a must-read for all those who are inclined towards personal growth, especially building desirable habits.

Two Quotes on Habits and Success

Charles Duhigg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, authored the influential book, The Power of Habit in which he highlights that individuals have the freedom and responsibility to reshape their habits and change their lives:

“And once you understand that habits can change, you have the freedom and the responsibility to remake them.”

Malcolm Gladwell, renowned Canadian journalist and author, encourages practice as the catalyst for improvement and mastery:

“Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.”

Three TherapyShorts by TST

Don’t wait for January/Monday/Tomorrow: When building habits, the key is to leap into immediate action! Waiting for a specific date or time to start a new habit can often lead to procrastination. We encourage you to aim at starting immediately, leveraging any positive momentum or motivation that exists in the present moment. Postponing action based on arbitrary timelines may result in lost opportunities to make progress. So if you’re reading this, don’t wait for 1st January, start today and carry that momentum into the next year.

Start now, perfect later: The one mantra that has always worked for our clients is action over perfection. This means it's more important to take action and start working on a habit, even if conditions are not ideal or if the plan is not perfect. Waiting for the perfect conditions may lead to inaction, and the pursuit of perfection can be a barrier to getting started. Example: Rather than attempting a drastic diet overhaul, start by making small, sustainable changes to your eating habits like adding a salad to each meal.

Consistency >>> Intensity: Building sustainable habits is often more about consistency than intensity. While intense efforts or dramatic changes might show immediate results, they can be difficult to maintain over the long term. Consistent, small actions performed regularly are more likely to lead to lasting change. Example: Instead of aiming for an intense workout that might be hard to sustain, focus on consistently incorporating physical activity (like 10-minute walks or 10 pushups a day) into your routine.

Love and light,

The Social Therapist

PS: Perfectionism can be a barrier to maintaining healthy habits. Instead of waiting for the perfect conditions, accept that there will be challenges along the way. The key is to stay committed and adjust your approach as needed.