Kellie Morrill, Family Wellness: Building Habits

"You must do the thing you think you cannot" -Elinor Roosevelt(yeah, yeah, I know my form's not perfect in this pic...part of building a habit is learning ...and mancub took the picture before I got deep!

Hi guys, I can't believe it’s already May! I've had so much fun for the month of April, it's great to know that things really do get easier with practice! I know now that I can do ANYTHING at all that I put my mind to, and that’s really nice feeling. It takes at LEAST 21 days to create a habit, and some studies say it’s as much as 60 days without fail for more complex tasks. It takes about four weeks to really see changes in your body from diet and exercise, so keep consistent and keep having fun. I’m seeing the biggest changes in my body with clean diet and meditation for stress reduction… More on that tomorrow when I unveil May’s goal!

I overhauled my nutrition almost exactly a year ago. I went from eating processed junk and sugar daily to eating nothing but organic whole foods including meat, veggies, fruits, eggs, oils and nuts. It was hard at first, but it’s become habit now, and I don’t even think about eating clean most days, it’s just what I do. I know that I feel better when I take care of myself, and my attitudes and priorities have really changed in this year. Why would I feel lethargic and unfocused if I didn't have to? When I listen to my body it tells me exactly what I need and we are a great team.

In March I focused on growing my own food and I’m now in the habit of watering my plants daily and planning to plant more. (There were a few casualties in the process of creating that habit…oops). I can’t wait to see my grocery bills go down when I have organic produce growing in my backyard!

In April I've worked on meditating every night and exercising every day. These are both complex goals for me because they relate to a bigger goal of time management and learning to say “no”. I catch myself procrastinating, then feeling SO amazing after I do it. I have never once regretted being mindfully present, sitting in silence, or working myself hard. It’s an amazing way to relieve stress, and I’m planning to keep at these daily for as long as it takes to become habit.

One habit that I can say has stuck, is working small movements into my day. I raised my work space into a standing desk, and I do lunges and squats while I type. I do a minute or two of planks in the kitchen while my food is cooking. Triceps dips on the kitchen counter, and I can squeeze in 100 kettlebell swings while my coffee is brewing in the morning. I’m getting stronger every day and really enjoying feeling more grounded and strong. Although I've been meditating off and on for most of my adult life, it's really been a challenge this month. I've been going through some really tough things in my personal life, but staying in the present and feeling my own inner strength has been so freeing. My mental energy is on the rise, I'm sleeping better and just feeling at peace. I wish I could show you before-and-after pictures of my psyche and my chakras. Here’s a comparison shot of how my body has responded to new habits.

Before: May 2011, already down 10 lbs after one month eating clean paleo diet. After: April 2012, down 40lbs and maintained 6 months.

Thanks to everyone who is reading and following along with me at home. I love being part of a community that pushes each other to grow. Shout out to my friends in the International Paleo Movement Group on Facebook… without you guys none of these habits would be possible, and I wouldn't be striving for new challenges (brewing my own Kefir, making cosmetics, and all natural cleaning products!!)

Here's a few of my favorite sites for FREE workouts you can do at home, and meditation techniques for beginners.