Why everyone should design powerful habit eco-systems for themselves
Have you ever wondered why you are constantly achieving only 10% return from investing 90% of the emotional, mental, or physical? This was something that I’ve battled with for so many years.. constantly suffering from chronic fatigue through forceful grinding and hustling.
In fact, one of the areas that I’ve have battled with the longest is my weight. The yoyo effect from crash diets and binge eating had very negative impact towards the quality of work that I was producing.
This of course, severely sabotaged my earning potentials as I was not able to create effective systems to allow money to flow into my life.
You may observe this pattern in your life and believe that your mental health does not have direct correlation with your earning potentials. But for me, I had to change the quality of my inner world to start seeing positive changes in my outer result.
Let me share with you briefly how.
9 months ago, I decided to make a commitment to show up everyday to my morning meditations. These sessions would last between 30–40 minutes right when I wake up. During the first 2 months of starting this routine, I was able to experience an internal shift where I felt my mind, my soul and my body aligning.
From constantly feeling bombarded with endless mental chaos, I started to feel a sense of stillness within me. I became more aware of why I was reacting to certain situations with immense negativity, and I was able to take myself out from being the reactor to the observer.
After this slight self image shifted, I began to feel proud of myself for taking emotional responsibility for my life. I no longer felt rejected from the lack of social validation that I was getting from LinkedIN, IG or FB on all the progresses that I’ve made with my life.
The inner self confidence then led me to making more mindful decisions that aligned with my new self image — of being an emotionally responsible person who is fully in control of my life.
Because I acknowledged my small improvements everyday with gratitude, my body would somehow co-operate with my positive inner engineering and reject junk food.
Even if KFC, Maccas or a tub of ice-cream was sitting right in front of me, I was more inclined to only eat a certain portion that satisfied my craving or avoid it altogether.
Instead, my body would only accept food that aligned with how I saw myself. If I saw myself as somebody who is disciplined with her ballet practice, then that person would probably not be eating food that would sabotage her progress. At one point, it was even starting to reject my favourite morning Souffle pancake, and instead.. welcome Oatmeal banana pancakes with Stevia more!
Once my health was in control, the positive momentum would also spread through my work. From only having the attention span to consume free contents on Youtube, I started having confidence to invest money in programs and coaching services that I believe could quantum leap my growth.
Instead of feeling guilty for again.. spending the money that I should have saved, I felt proud. I knew that every single financial investment I made on myself was going to definitely bring me return, since I had the level of focus, clarity and confidence to effectively implement what I learned.
Since my concentration level has significantly heighten, all the program modules and homework that I needed to complete are all done on time with no excuse. I didn’t need somebody to hold me accountable or remind me to submit anything, because I had such clarity on why I needed to complete everything by that week.
Even if I am jam packed busy, overwhelmed or tired, I would always be able to stay on top of my game and draft that 60 page book proposal, the query letter, the social media marketing strategy, the wireframes, the free webinar script and even the program offer accordingly.
This was basically how I also finished my 170 page manuscript in 3 months — by doing the best I can for that week without needing it to be perfect straight away.
The momentum of effectively consuming information and also creating high quality pieces of work now has allowed me to live my life everyday feeling fulfilled, even during the Sydney lock down.
Even though I am supposed to feel bored, defeated and lonely, I actually feel quite excited to wake up and do my 6.00am — 7.00am morning walks around the neighbourhood. I feel excited to learn the materials that I have spent my money on.
And that’s was when I truly realise the effectiveness of powerful habit-ecosystems. The morning meditation, the 1 hour ballet practices, the baking, the reading, the learning, the workouts.. all of these combined together has really affected my life positively altogether.
Now I truly feel more present, more aware, and more alive, even though all of my goals have not yet been achieved.
So if I were to ask you what your powerful habit eco-system would be? What would it be?
Let me know in the comments down below!
Love Patty
Founder of ImpacU2
