Technology is a beautiful thing, One of my favorite apps is called LIFT. Designed to help you “build better habits,” LIFT uses all the best tools of positive psychology to help you practice and solidify new habits or break the bad ones.
Like all good apps, LIFT is accessible via the web and/or your iPhone. It’s a coach, a support group, and a nudge-giver rolled into one.
First, you input the habit(s) you’d like to develop (or drop). The possibilities are limitless, but best to start small and build from there.
Second, you check in with LIFT each day to record your activity. Did you floss your teeth last night? Have you done those 50 sit-ups? Did you remember to call your mother? You have an option to editorialize on that day’s check in, e.g. “ran out of dental floss,” or “did 75 sit-ups!”
LIFT tracks your progress, giving you a nice green check mark on the days you’ve marked off, and a bar graph gives you a broader picture of progress. My favorite feature is that your can set reminders for your iPhone. So if you can’t seem to remember to take that multivitamin every morning, LIFT will help you with that and reward you with the satisfaction of recording the deed.
Last but not least, the feature meant to really keep up your determination and enthusiasm is the social component to LIFT. You can connect your account to Facebook and Twitter (in the event your friends and followers care about your daily meditation.) Most users find it beneficial to join a group that shares a common goal and offer each other “props” for progress. On the flip side, you can opt out of all the social aspects and remain completely anonymous by using a pseudonym.
It’s highly customizable, but remember, it only really works if you are already determined to make that positive change. It simply reinforces that behavior through tracking, group support and visual feedback. If it truly takes three weeks to make or break a habit, give LIFT a try for 21 days, and see what happens.
Elemental Wellness 