Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:00:00]:
Welcome back to the Happy Healthy Hustle, the podcast where we talk about building a life you love, one petite practice at a time. I'm your host, Dr. Christiane Schroeter, and today we're diving into something that everyone struggles with at some point, sticking to routines and habits. If you've ever found yourself saying I will start on Monday or feel frustrated that you just can't make habits stick, I promise you're not alone. And here's the good news. It's not about willpower and you're definitely not broken. Today we'll break down why building habits feels so hard, and I will share simple, actionable steps to help you create routines that actually work for your busy life. Plus, I will tell you how you can use my Habit Tracker to keep yourself on track and introduce you to the Incredible Happy Nest Collective, my community, where we celebrate small wins together.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:00:54]:
If you're ready to stop struggling and start creating habits that stick, let's dive right in. Let's start here. Why is it so hard to build habits in the first place? Here are three common struggles that come up first, we set goals that are too big or too vague, saying I want to get healthy or I want to. Read more Sounds great, but it doesn't really give you a clear starting point. A petite practice, on the other hand, gives you one small, actionable step to take each day. Second, we rely on motivation instead of creating systems. Motivation is great, but let's be real, it comes and goes. Systems like scheduling your habit or tracking it in my Habit Tracker are really what keep you on consistent when motivation maybe goes down.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:01:46]:
Third, we aim for perfection instead of progress. Missing one day really doesn't mean that you failed. It's all about building consistency over time. So I always remind my clients, progress, not perfection. One small step forward is still progress, so understanding why you're struggling is the first step. So now let's move on to what you can do about it. Here are five strategies to help you start small and stay consistent, plus see results first, start with petite practices. Think of a petite practice as a microhabit.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:02:22]:
It's tiny, achievable steps that you can easily fit into your day. For instance, instead of saying I will exercise for an hour, start with 10 squats or a 5 minute walk. Instead of journaling for 20 minutes per day, maybe write down one sentence. Petite practices help you overcome resistance because they feel doable even on your busiest days. Second, anchor habits to something you already do. This is called habit stacking, and it works because you're connecting A new habit to one that's already part of your routine. For instance, after you pour your morning coffee, write down one thing you're grateful for. After you brush your teeth, do 10 squats.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:03:09]:
So it's a really simple way to make your new habits stick with habit stacking. Third, make it easy. You gotta set up your environment. Your environment has a huge impact on your habits. If you want to make a new routine easier, you have to set up for your success. So, for instance, if you want to work out, you have to lay out your workout clothing the night before. If you want to read more, put your book on your nightstand so you remember to read. If you want to drink more, put a water bottle on your desk to remind yourself, oh, I have to hydrate.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:03:43]:
So good decisions are made easily and you will follow through more often. Fourth, focus on who you want to become. And this is my favorite mindset shift. Instead of focusing on the outcome, rather focus on the identity you're building. For example, instead of saying, I want to run a 5k, rather say I'm someone who moves their body every day. Instead of I want to eat healthy, say I'm someone who nourishes my body. Every time you take a small action, you're proving that yourself, that you're actually that person and you take on that identity. Fifth, track your progress and celebrate small wins.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:04:28]:
That's why I created my habit Tracker to help you see your progress and stay motivated. Seeing those little check marks and really see them add up feels so rewarding and it reminds you that every small step counts. So you can download my habit tracker from the link in the show notes or go over to my website in the shop, and I promise it will totally help you keep inspired. So let's do some real talk here. It's not about perfection. Here's something that I've always remind the members of my happiness collective. Perfection is not the goal. Consistency actually is.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:05:07]:
So one of my favorite rules is the never miss twice rule. If you skip one day because life happens, just pick it back up on the next day. Don't let one miss day turn into a week. It's about showing up for yourself over and over again. So I'm going to give you a little challenge here. Right? It's a challenge for the week, so to speak. Choose one petite. Practice something really small, something really simple that aligns with who you want to become.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:05:37]:
Remember that identity we talked about earlier? Who do you want to be, who you want to transform into? Anchor that to something you already do every day. Using Habit Stacking. Download my Habit Tracker to keep yourself on track and share your wins with me on Instagram or join me in the Happiness Collective. It's my supportive community where we celebrate progress together. I would love to hear how your petite practices are going. Remember habits. You don't have to be hard, just start small, stay consistent and trust that those little actions will add up to big changes over time. If you love this episode, check out my recent ones on how to establish habits and how to get unstuck.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:06:18]:
And don't forget to grab the Habit Tracker. I'm cheering you on. I will see you next week with more tips, tools and inspiration to help you build a happy, healthy hustle. One Petite Practice all the time. Thank you so much. I'm your host, Dr. Christiane Schroeter. Like and comment below and I look forward to seeing you soon.