INSIDE: Welcome to this week’s favourite finds. The series where every Friday I share my favourite book, podcast, YouTube video, blog post and freebie so that you can check them out too! This week’s theme? How to develop good habits that stick so that you can become the BEST version of yourself and create a life you LOVE. Let’s take a look!
(This post might contain affiliate links which means that if you click through and make a purchase, I make a small commission. Read my disclosure policy here.)
How to develop good habits…
We all have a list of habits that we know would be good for us – if only we did them. Habits that would help us to improve our overall wellbeing and make us healthier and happier. Trouble is, making those habits become part of our daily routine is easier said than done.
In theory, making good habits stick should be easy. After all, we know what we need to do and so we should just get up each day and just do them, right? So why don’t we?
James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits says that it takes up to 66 days for a habit to become well, a habit. That’s more than two months! No wonder we struggle with making habits stick. Especially when it’s something new that we haven’t done before.
So how do we develop good habits and make them stick?
Especially when life is busy and we don’t have much time to spare? Well, this post has the answers! In this week’s favourite finds, I’m sharing my favourite resources for not only figuring out which good habits to adopt but how to make them stick around too. Want to know what they are? Keep reading!
MY FIVE FAVOURITE FRIDAY FINDS: JANUARY 31st
BOOK OF THE WEEK: Do It Scared
So last week, I shared an episode of Ruth Soukup’s podcast Do It Scared. One of my favourite episodes, it was all about how to stop listening to the limiting beliefs that tell us we’re not capable of realising our dreams. If this is something you struggle with and you’ve not yet listened to this episode, I highly recommend checking it out.
Ruth talks a lot about getting into the habit of facing your fears so that you can create a life you love. And so, to follow on from last week, as we’re focusing on developing good habits, I thought it would make perfect sense to share her brand-new book Do It Scared as this week’s book of the week.
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Pushing past your fears…
If fear is one of the reasons you’re not achieving your goals, Ruth’s book – which, incidentally, is the same name as her podcast – is a must-read.
In it, she shows you how to get in the habit of pushing past your fears so that you can become the best version of yourself and create a life you love. She reveals the seven fear archetypes that show up in our lives and how to overcome them so that you can become the person you know you’re capable of being. Those fear archetypes are the:
- Procrastinator
- Rule follower
- People-pleaser
- Outcast
- Self-doubter
- Excuse maker, and
- Pessimist
If you’re done with playing small and want to start accomplishing your goals but don’t know how to push past the fear that’s holding you back, Ruth shows you how. A mix of gentle tough love and practical advice, the book is a result of her surveying more than 4,000 people to find out how fear shows up in their lives. So, trust me when I say she knows what she’s talking about!
Want to know what your fear archetype is, the habits and behaviours of that archetype and how to face your fears so you can finally live the life you know you deserve? Be sure to get yourself a copy of Do It Scared! And if you want to dive deeper into the archetypes, Ruth has a free Do It Scared online fear assessment that you can do too. Check it out here.
Want to know what my fear archetype is and how it holds me back? Watch this space because I’ll be revealing all very soon!
Do It Scared is also available on Audible, so if you prefer to listen to your books on the go, check it out here. Make sure you check out her other books available on Audible too:
- Living Well Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life
- Unstuffed: Decluttering Your Home, Mind and Soul
PODCAST OF THE WEEK: The Chalene Show – Episode #488: How to follow through on simple daily habits
This week’s podcast is one of my favourites from The Chalene Show. If you’ve not listened to Chalene’s podcast yet, go do it now because listening to her is like being on a coffee date with one of your girlfriends. Open, honest, funny and down to earth, her episodes are full of practical tips and friendly advice for bringing more balance to your life. And this conversation on how to follow through on simple daily habits is no exception.
If you regularly find yourself thinking:
- “I need to…”
- Or, “I really must…”
- Or, “I need to remember to…”
…then you need to listen to this episode! In it, Chalene shares her best tips for making those things we keep meaning to do actually happen. She reveals how she not only makes sure she remembers to do what she needs and wants to do but how she stays accountable and motivated too.
And if you like what you hear, head on over and subscribe to Chalene’s podcast. Don’t forget to and check out her other episodes while you’re there too!
YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THE WEEK: The art of sticking to your habits
This week, for my YouTube video of the week, I’m sharing a video from Australian vlogger MuchelleB. One of my more recent YouTube discoveries, it’s a channel that you can’t help but binge-watch.
With weekly episodes about all things minimalism and intentional living, MuchelleB’s videos are short and easy to digest. Packed full of great tips, she shows you how to get to know yourself better, set goals that truly resonate, create habits that stick, become more productive and find ways to live a happier and more fulfilling life. Which fits perfectly with all things A Simple and Contented Life!
As this week’s theme is all about developing good habits, I thought I’d share MuchelleB’s latest video which is all about the art of sticking to your habits and routines. Why this episode? Because the tagline “how to do what you say you’re going to do” made me want to click the play button right away!
Making your habits stick…
You see, if you’re anything like me, sticking to the goals I’ve set myself and following through doesn’t come easy. I always start off strong and with good intentions, but it’s not long before my motivation wanes and I give up. Or I get distracted and go off and do something else!
If you struggle with this too, you’re going to love the tips MuchelleB shares in this video. In it, she shows you how to:
- Create stronger cues that encourage you to work on your goals
- Start tracking your actions so that you can monitor your progress
- Set milestones that encourage you to keep going
- Surround yourself with doers who motivate and inspire
- Give yourself incentives to make sure you follow through – also known as celebrating your wins!
I can’t wait to give them a try and I have no doubt they’ll help you too!
CHECK OUT MUCHELLEB’S VIDEO HERE >>
Like this video?
If you liked this video, I’ll be sharing more from MuchelleB’s channel in future instalments of my Friday finds, so be sure to keep an eye out. In the meantime, head on over and check out her channel…just make sure you have a couple of hours to spare because once you start watching her videos, you’re going to find it hard to stop!
As well as her YouTube channel, you can also find MuchelleB over on Instagram, so if IG is your thing, head on over and follow her there too. Don’t forget to follow me while you’re there as well!
BLOG POST OF THE WEEK: 12 easy to adopt habits that will improve your life
MuchelleB’s video might be all about making your habits stick but how do you know which habits to adopt in the first place? Which habits are good habits to adopt? And which habits will not only help make life better but help you to become the BEST version of yourself too?
I’ve spent a long time over the years trying out different habits to see which give the best results and in this week’s blog post of the week, I’m sharing 12 of my favourite. If you want to develop good habits but don’t know which ones to choose, the habits I share in this post are a great place to start.
Want a sneak peek of some of the habits I share in the post? Here are my favourite three:
- Plan your meals in advance.
- Unplug one hour before bed.
- Practice gratitude.
The post also comes with a FREE cheatsheet that you can download, so be sure to snag your copy while you’re there! Check out the post here:
READ 12 EASY TO ADOPT HABITS HERE >>
FREEBIE OF THE WEEK: My habit tracker
Do you track your habits? If not and you find it hard to develop good habits and make them stick, now might be the time to start. Because, for this week’s freebie, I’m sharing my FREE habit tracker!
The very tracker I use each month to track my progress, not only does this habit tracker help me make my habits become routine, but it also helps me to:
- See my progress at a glance
- Stay motivated
- Keep accountable
- Spot habits that I’m finding hard to adopt
- Identify days where I struggle most
- Decide what habits to track the following month
- Be proud of what I accomplish each month
…and it can totally do the same for you too!
Very soon, I’ll be sharing a post on all the different habits you can track using a habit tracker – so be sure to keep an eye out. In the meantime, what habits do you wish you were better at doing? What habits do you wish you could make stick and become part of your daily routine?
Download a copy of my FREE habit tracker and start tracking them today!
THIS WEEK’S BONUS: LSW Mind Cards
For this week’s bonus, I’m sharing one of my favourite most recent purchases; the LSW Mind Cards from LSW London. If you want to develop good habits like journaling and practicing gratitude or bring a little more mindfulness to your day, this little pack of cards are perfect. Plus, they’re really pretty too!
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Good habits every day…
Helping you to introduce positive habits into your every day, these 45 individually designed cards are split into five categories:
- Ritual
- Journal
- Kindness
- Gratitude, and
- Reflection
Not only do these cute little Mind Cards help you to discover new daily habits but when used regularly, they help to make life calmer and happier too. Simply shuffle the cards, pick one at random and do whatever it says on the card.
Want a peek at some of my favourites? Here are three of them:
- Gratitude: Create a gratitude box. Find or make a box that you find aesthetically pleasing. Each time you choose this card, write a note of gratitude for an important person in your life and put it in the box.
- Ritual: Turn off your phone, curl up on your favourite sofa or armchair and dedicate at least 30 minutes to reading a book.
- Kindness: Write a letter to your partner, a friend or a family member describing everything you love and respect about them. You might make their day.
Pretty cool, right?! These Mind Cards have become part of my daily routine and I absolutely love them. I get them out every morning, give them a shuffle and see what card comes out. It’s a great way to start your day and bring a little more mindfulness to your life!
I’ll be doing a post that reviews these Minds Cards properly real soon, in the meantime, check them out for yourself by clicking on the link below. Be sure to follow LSW on Instagram too!
How to develop good habits…
There you have it, this week’s five favourite finds – all of which are guaranteed to help you develop good habits that stick! Which was your favourite? I’d LOVE to know! Tell me your choice and share what you thought of it.
Send me a DM over on Instagram or drop me a line HERE.
Here they are again:
- Book of the week: Do It Scared
- Podcast of the week: The Chalene Show – Episode #488
- YouTube video of the week: The art of sticking to your habits
- Blog post of the week: 12 easy to adopt habits that will improve your life
- Freebie of the week: My habit tracker
- Bonus of the week: LSW Mind Cards
Develop good habits every week!
Don’t forget to check back next week for the next instalment of my five favourite Friday finds. Not only will they help you become the BEST version of yourself, but they’ll also help you to develop good habits that stick too!
Better still, subscribe to A Simple and Contented Life so that you’re one of the first to know when it’s published! You’ll gain exclusive access to my Resource Library packed full of FREE printables designed to help you make life LESS stressful and MORE enjoyable at the same time.
Do you have a favourite book, podcast, YouTube video, blog post or freebie? If it’s helped you to develop good habits that stick, I’d love to know what it is. I’m always on the lookout for new resources to dive into!
That’s it for this post! Which of my ‘develop good habits’ resources will you be checking out first? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time…
P.S. Like what you read? Subscribe to A Simple and Contented Life!
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Did you like this post? You’ll LOVE these too!
- My favourite Friday finds week 1: January 10th
- My favourite Friday finds week 2: January 17th
- My favourite Friday finds week 3: January 24th
