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This channel is for men of color with diabetes who want to build a life of energy, stability, and peace of mind without letting diabetes define them. Here, you'll find practical tips on managing diabetes at work, building healthy habits that fit a busy schedule, reducing stress and burnout, improving nutrition and movement, and hearing real stories. My mission is to help you spend less time overwhelmed by diabetes and more time thriving in your career, relationships, and everyday life. If you're ready to take control of your health without sacrificing your ambitions, subscribe and join now.
Hi there, listeners. I'm super excited that you're here because today, I'm kicking off a series where I'll be speaking on habits. And in this episode in particular, I'll be talking about the habit loop and how it impacts and influences our daily decisions. So without being said, welcome to the podcast if you're new. Welcome to the podcast if you're a returner.
Speaker 1:I'm happy to have y'all here. And so this podcast, for those of you who don't know, is a space for men of color and those who care about them. Because far too often, we don't have spaces just for us to learn, grow, and connect. And I'm hoping that this podcast will be a space for you as well. So without further ado, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 1:And I thank you that you are here wanting to find community, learn, become more curious and to grow. And before we get started, nothing on this podcast constitutes medical advice. So if you're looking for specific information on how to adjust your insulin dosage or how to live your specific life with diabetes, refer to your PCP or your endocrinologist. And without further ado, let's get this thing started. Have you ever found yourself wanting to start a new habit and no matter what you did, you just can't seem to get it started or to maintain it?
Speaker 1:And because it's been challenging, you're trying to summon all your willpower and mental fortitude to make it happen. Like suddenly one day you'll wake up and draw on some mystical power like your Goku, Go Super Saiyan or something and voila, whatever you wanted to accomplish is finally done. Well, what if it's not you? What if there's a scientific explanation for that same store of willpower that you're trying to summon? And what if there's a way to use science to form a habit?
Speaker 1:Lucky you, there is. And it's called the habit loop. For everything that we do, there's a subconscious pattern that is occurring that we ourselves are not that super aware of. Because any of the habits that we do are just an accumulation of the things that we like. For example, stopping for coffee in the morning or relaxing when we come home from work.
Speaker 1:While they may seem random at the moment, they are not so random at the same time. Because for every habit we establish, there are three main components. The cue, the routine, and then there's the reward. The cue is the trigger that kicks off the behavior. For example, if you're walking into work and you're passing through the break room and then suddenly the sweet aroma of coffee hits your face, that might cue you to want to go ahead and brew some of that coffee yourself to enjoy the taste of the delicacies of coffee.
Speaker 1:The second part of this component, the loop, is the routine. This refers to the habit or the repeated behavior. For example, you may be bored. So you scroll through social media on your phone, or you do something else that provides you an escape from that boredom. While at first this may have been a conscious choice, over time it becomes more automatic thanks to the final component of the loop, which is the reward.
Speaker 1:This refers to what the behavior does for you. For example, it's like brushing your teeth or flossing in the morning. This rewards you with a clean, fresh mouth and no stinky breaths, so you're not scaring away the coworkers and the humans around you. Or spending an entire evening watching YouTube videos allows you to fill in your evening with something fun so that you're not bored. Once again, right, the brain begins to associate that behavior with the reward, like the YouTube videos having a relief from the boredom.
Speaker 1:And then you'll eventually start to develop a habit. Once your brain begins to associate that behavior with the reward, like the YouTube videos having a relief from being bored, You will eventually develop a craving for that behavior. And before you know it, you're doing it consistently. You have finally closed the loop. You have the cue, which is your boredom.
Speaker 1:You have the routine, which is watching the YouTube videos. And then you have the reward. You have relief from the boredom and you close the loop. You do it over and over again because neuroplasticity. And now the loop is closed and you're doing it and you built the habit.
Speaker 1:The next time you think it's you that you don't want it enough, you are lazy or that you have to summon willpower, think about it as being on the wrong end of a habit loop that you don't want. And then figuring out ways to get the same or similar reward by replacing the routine that you do want. More on that in the next podcast video, because I'm going to tell you how to break the habit loop and install the habits that you do want, and really using the loop in your favor. Therefore, if you're someone who thinks they are failing at starting a new habit, think of it as a scientific experiment where you're finding the thing that'll help support your habits and not as some moral failure. Because you're not failing, you're learning, you're growing, as you want to make the changes that feel right for you and what you value.
Speaker 1:And if this message resonated with you and you're looking for support, accountability, and a community of men committed to transforming their health and their lives, join the newsletter, make a friend, become part of the conversation because you're not in this alone. Also, don't forget to download the free habit starting guide that I have in the show notes and join me for the next video where I'll be sharing information on how to break the loop and install the habits that you do want. So stay safe, get lots of rest, and enjoy the day.