Identity and Habits
January 11, 2026
Our identity and our habits are intertwined.
The book Atomic Habits has been on my radar for a few years, but I hadn’t focused on reading it. I follow the author’s Instagram posts, and I appreciate his wisdom, but the timing just hasn’t been right to truly absorb it. Until now!
Early January is a good time for me to think about doing new things, and the book was sitting in my Audible library, so I decided it was time to listen to it.
I would describe myself as someone who uses a lot of habits. I enjoy doing the same thing every day and I appreciate how it streamlines things, like getting ready for work. However, there are practices and activities that I’ve always wanted to add to my life but never managed to make it happen.
For example, I would like to do a short yoga practice at home every day. I know this would be good for me, and I have the time and space for it. But despite all that, I’ve never managed to do it consistently.
When I listened to the section of the book about linking our identity to our habits, the pieces fell into place. I started noticing where my own beliefs about who I am were getting in the way of the habits I wanted to build. I tried changing the narrative: “I’m a physically fit person and that means I exercise three times a week.” It didn’t make me really excited about going to my weights class but it did give me new energy about it!
Our identities are so embedded in our thinking that we often don’t even notice them. As we get older, they need to change, but sometimes we resist that. Or we don’t even realize that we’ve locked ourselves into a belief that no longer works for us. Who I am at 52 is much different than who I was at 32, but it takes effort and self-compassion to allow myself to evolve.
“Who am I now?” is a common question for people moving past mid-life and into the second half. The moment when we realize that we can reinvent ourselves is when the magic starts happening.
Linking our identity to our habits and practices can help us move forward with grace. Rather than just embracing the identity of “I’m old”, we can focus on strength, wisdom, and all the new and exciting things that can now be part of our lives.
For my home yoga practice, I’m reminding myself that yoga has been a key part of my identity for a long time. Practicing every day is a way to bring that identity to life AND take advantage of the benefits that it brings.