Is Your Reward System Broken?
Creating a reward system based on healthy habits can put your progress towards reaching your goals on autopilot and reach them faster.
Replacing Our Reward System
By Ginger McBride
We work hard for our aspirations. We know what matters and who we fight for. We’re always organizing our lives to reach our many goals. Whether that is getting out of debt, losing weight, making time for family, and so on. It’s natural to want to reward ourselves for our hard work. Don’t allow your reward system to hinder the goals ahead, though. Our future selves will thank us later!
A reward can look like many things such as chocolate, candy, sugar, coffee, chips, take-out, and comfort foods. Just because we are focused on our health goals doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy the finer things from time to time. However, allowing this in moderation is the key. Instead of denying the reward entirely, let’s learn how to replace it with a better reward system instead.
First, let’s grab a notebook and begin jotting down all the things that bring us joy. Instead of that tasty treat as a reward, maybe we go for a walk in the park, to the movies, listen to music, go to our favorite shop. Try also to visit friends or family, play with our pet, read a good book, or anything else we can think of. We don’t want to deny ourselves enjoyment in life. Where’s the fun in that? We just want to make healthier choices for our endgame and a long-term fulfillment.
It’s natural to want to go the path of least resistance and fastest way to gratification. We’re only human, after all. We need to think about ourselves in both present and future tenses. Sure, presently we really want that take out, but another reward could be just as good, and we can survive without it. We could also try promising ourselves that we can check out that latest movie if we just wait a day or two. Find fulfillment in other areas of life. But not just food. This way, we don’t feel deprived and won’t rebel later.
Begin visualizing what accomplishing these goals will look like. Would we be happier and healthier? Would we feel a sense of accomplishment? Who would be the first person we told once we made it? Can we picture the smile on our faces? If we keep doing what we’ve been doing. We’ll keep getting what we’ve been getting. The only way we can change and reach our goals is by doing the hard stuff, the uncomfortable stuff, and choosing tomorrow over today. They aren’t called growing pains without reason. Are we really challenging ourselves if we’re comfortable? Probably not.
We have to make a choice for our future self. They can’t do it without us. No one can make a choice for us either. Sometimes changing our mindset can be beneficial in this. Start by replacing words such as have or need to get. We get to go to the grocery store. We get to go to work. We get to enjoy our families. We get to play with our pets. Positive thinking is essential. Find gratitude in everything! It is easier to be healthier when we are happier. There isn’t as much need for reward. Living a happy life is reward enough.
Contemplate how emotions have affected our healthy living choices. What was the craving, and why? Choose tomorrow, and begin making plans and preparations. Make it so routine that it’s second nature. Creating a reward system based on healthy habits can create progress on autopilot. By making the proper preparations, strategy, and practicing mindfulness, we can replace our rewards with more nutritious alternatives and reach our future-self goals!
You will also enjoy 5 Things to Know About Changing Bad Habits to Good Ones
Click HERE to Connect with your Daily Horoscope on OMTimes!
Visit Our Astrology Store for Personalized Reports
About the Author
Ginger McBride is a certified health coach, wellness expert, entrepreneur, and raw food enthusiast. She is Raw Ninja’s founder – a wellness coaching membership that provides affordability and accessibility to her clients. She is passionate about helping others with their health, inspiring them to reach their goals through motivation and education! To learn more, visit www.rawninja.net
OMTimes is the first and only Spiritually Conscious Magazine. Follow Us On Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, Pinterest, and Youtube
