Hey guys, Logan here and I’m so excited to share what I’ve learned recently with you.
The other day, I was listening to the Mel Robbins Podcast and for this particular episode she was joined by Charles Duhigg, a New York Times Bestseller and Pulitzer Prize Award winner. Charles’ books include “The Power of Habit" and “Smarter, Better, Faster”. Throughout this episode, Mel and Charles discussed “Keystone Habits” and how adopting them into your everyday routine can literally change your life. So what are keystone habits? They are small, transformative habits that lead to widespread change throughout your entire life. Before I listened to this podcast episode, I had already been doing this with several daily habits in my life; I just didn’t know how incredible the science was backing what I was already doing. Let me give you a few examples of some keystone habits that have transformed my life over the last twenty-three months.
The first one is something that I didn’t do for twenty-four years of my life: Making our bed. Unless someone was coming over, of course.. Last year, I started making our bed every single day. I made a point to do this, even if I was running behind with my daughter, or if I just really didn’t feel like doing it. Every day for the last six hundred and ninety days or so, I have made our bed. You know that feeling right? Walking away and looking at the smooth comforter, my wife’s decorative pillows arranged in an appealing way, ah, huge deep breath as I exit my bedroom and start my day.
What I didn’t know is that there is actual science backing this daily action. Research tells us that when I make our bed in the morning, I am actually rewiring my brain chemistry. Now I am telling my brain: “Logan is someone who makes his bed in the morning”. This tells my brain a few different things, first, I am a neat and organized person, second, I am someone who is in control of their own life. Now, throughout my day, when I am nervous to speak up at work or I feel like overspending on something outside of my budget. My brain literally says, in an instant: “Logan is someone who makes his bed, therefore, he has his life together and has the confidence to speak up to his boss”, or, “Logan made his bed this morning and people who make their bed stick to a budget”. My brain literally gains confidence every morning that I make our bed.
The second keystone habit that I have adapted into my daily routine is exercise. I exercise every single day, even if it’s just taking the long walk around my workplace all day, or lifting weights at home in the morning before I shower. Not only have I lost sixty-six pounds and kept it off, I’ve rewired my brain. Just like with making your bed every morning, did you know that people who exercise every day use their credit card less? Regular exercise has the same effect on the brain as the keystone habit of making your bed: Now you are someone who has control over their life and every time you exercise, you’re telling your brain: “Logan ran a mile today and walked twenty-five thousand steps at work, so he wouldn’t overspend on groceries today”. Keystone habits are the first step to a completely different life.
I see so many people in my own life that struggle with everyday life, they struggle to find meaning, and this leads to over-eating, over-spending, anxiety, and depression. I would encourage those people in my life to adapt keystone habits into their life. I would start with one keystone habit in particular: Making Your Bed.
Make your bed today before you leave for work, and then do it again tomorrow morning, and the day after that, and the next day, and the next day. I promise this small daily action will lead to widespread change in your life.