We are quick to look to others for solutions before finding them within ourselves. Sometimes we genuinely need to rely on another for guidance, but usually we just don’t know where to start. Maybe I can help with that.

Depression, anxiety, or something even more complex can feel like sinking into quicksand. If you’re unsure of a first step, I always ask clients about these 3 basic areas:

Diet - Are you eating a decently-balanced diet, 3 times a day?
Exercise - Are you getting your heart pumping and limbs moving for at least 20 minutes a day?
Sleep - Are you getting between 7-9 hours of sleep a night?

Now, I don’t mean to throw a simple solution to deep-rooted problems, but if you’re able to take care of these 3 areas of internal well-being, you’re going to be 50% of the way to helping yourself out of a rut.

Is this going to cure deep-rooted childhood trauma? Obviously not.

Is this going to save your marriage? No (though it couldn’t hurt it).

But once you’ve got Diet, Exercise, and Sleep in a decent rhythm, it’ll help to address underlying issues.

Per usual, I’m also going to throw in a bonus for helping yourself out.

Every successful person must have a baseline operation. Meaning, they know they need to do one thing to help ensure their continued success. I call this your “Anchor Activity.”

| For Jerry Seinfeld, his is writing one joke a day.

| For The Rock, his is getting to the gym for any type of workout first thing.

| For David Goggins, it’s doing the thing he fears the most right when he gets up.

Everyone has their thing. If you’re wondering about my thing—and this might sound silly to some of you—it is making 2 green, protein smoothies. Every day, I make and pack both of them in a cooler. I’ve pretty much done it every day for the past 500 days.

Why is this my anchor activity?

It means I have to be regimented with grocery shopping (I have fresh and perishable ingredients in there including spinach, kale, apples, Greek yogurt, etc.
It means I have to wake up a little earlier to prepare them, so that’ll limit me rushing out the door.
It means I am guaranteed to get a couple servings of veggies, which isn’t my favorite food group.
It means when I’m hungry and on the run, I don’t succumb to wasting money by going out.
It means that I can save lots of time and mental energy. I eat between 4-6 meals a day. The smoothies knock out 2 meals, or 35-50% of my daily food.
It means that even if I’m not feeling great about myself that day, I know I’m getting good nutrients including protein into my body. I usually get a surge of energy after drinking my smoothies.

Anyway, the green smoothies are my baseline. Whether I’m feeling motivated to make them or not, I do it. It’s vital for me to stay in a healthy routine.

So what’s your anchor activity? Your minimum for feeling good about yourself? Or what you need to do when you find yourself in a rut? And I’ll throw out some more possible anchor activities.

Maybe it’s prayer? A gratitude journal? Stretching or meditation? Something creative like drawing or writing?

When you combine your minimum baseline activity with a good flow of Diet, Exercise, and Sleep, this will be a great first step for you to build a good foundation for healthy habits.

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