ta-da list reminds you of all you ' ve accomplished already . A ta-da list can be a tremendous source of energy and reassurance .
5 . CONSIDER YOUR TENDENCY .
Often , when we fail to make progress , it ' s because we haven ' t taken our Tendency into account . For instance , if you ' re an Obliger , you must have outer accountability . You must ! That ' s what works for Obligers ! If you see that a particular form of outer accountability isn ' t working , trying a different form . If paying for a trainer doesn ' t get you to go to the gym , try working out with a friend who ' s very annoyed when you don ' t show up . If that doesn ' t work , teach a class . If that doesn ' t work , think of your duty to be a role model for someone else . If that doesn ' t work , join a group on the Better app where you tell each other , " I ' m counting on you to count on me . If none of us hold each other accountable , none of us will succeed ."
If you ' re a Rebel , don ' t try to lock yourself into a to-do list or a schedule . That often doesn ' t work for a Rebel . Think about what you want , and how you want to live up to your identity .
If you ' re a Questioner , really examine your reasons . Why are you doing this , in this way ? Is it the best , most efficient way , and is it tailored to suit you specifically ? When Questioners struggle , it ' s usually because they ' re fundamentally unconvinced by whatever they ' re trying to do .
If you don ' t know your Tendency — whether you ' re an Upholder , Obliger , Questioner , or Rebel — you can take the free , quick quiz at quiz . gretchenrubin . com .
6 . ARE YOU GIVING YOURSELF HEALTHY TREATS ?
When we give more to ourselves , we can ask more from ourselves . If you ' re asking a lot of yourself these days , make sure you ' re helping yourself feel energized and cared for by giving yourself healthy treats , whatever that might be for you . For me , it ' s reading children ' s literature .
But make sure these are healthy treats . You don ' t want to try to make yourself feel better by indulging in something ( wine , impulse purchases , sweets , messiness ) that will make you feel worse in the end .
7 . REMEMBER , IT ' S EASIER TO KEEP UP THAN TO CATCH UP .
Sometimes , when we ' re creating a healthy habit or practice , we need to catch up . We need to clear out a lot of clutter before we can maintain good order . We need to adjust to life without the morning doughnut . This is hard , but remember that once we ' re caught up or accustomed to a new way , it gets easier . It may take a few tries to get over the initial hurdle , but remember that the situation will get easier once it ' s more ingrained .
Stay the course ! Don ' t give up ! My book Better Than Before examines the 21 strategies that we can use to make or break our habits , and one of the most helpful strategies is the Strategy of Safeguards . It ' s all about how to anticipate challenges , and how to deal with it when we run into trouble .
It ' s a very common frustration .
Have you found any great ways to stay on course , even when you feel as if you ' re falling behind ?
Gretchen Rubin is the author of several books , including the block-buster New York Times best sellers , Outer Order , Inner Calm , Better Than Before , The Happiness Project , Happier at Home , and The Four Tendencies . She has an enormous readership , both in print and online , and her books have sold more than 3.5 million copies worldwide , in more than thirty languages . She makes frequent TV appearances and is in much demand as a speaker . GretchenRubin . com
* Originally posted on Gretchenrubin . com . Reprinted with permission
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