Why Habits Stick

Posted on Jul 11, 2025 By Alisha Smith

A quick, gut-brain-powered guide to making change that lasts.

So, you’ve decided to stop reaching for coffee the moment your eyes open. Not because you hate caffeine (let’s be real), but because you’ve learned that starting your day with bone broth instead supports better gut health, steadier energy, more consistent moods, and frankly, fewer jitters and regrets.

You're giving your body a better start. Now the goal is making that start stick.

That’s where your brain’s natural habit-making machinery comes in.

The Loop That Builds (or Breaks) Everything

Every habit you’ve ever formed (helpful or otherwise) follows the same neurological pattern: Cue → Routine → Reward

Here’s how that looks in the real world:

→ Cue: You wake up. Your brain fires off the "give me coffee" reflex.

→ Routine: Instead of caffeine, you sip your bone broth, take 3 deep breaths, and soak up some sunlight.

→ Reward: You feel calm, grounded, and surprisingly clear-headed.

In his bestselling book The Power of Habit, author Charles Duhigg explains how your brain encodes these sequences through a process called ‘chunking’. It happens in a part of the brain called the basal ganglia, which automates repeated behaviours so you don’t have to consciously think through every step.

Over time, this frees up your prefrontal cortex (your decision-making HQ) so it can focus on new things. This is why habits feel effortless once they’re embedded: your brain has filed them under default mode.

The more you repeat the loop, the stronger the neural wiring becomes.

Want It to Stick? Tie It to Who You Are

Here’s the magic move. According to Duhigg, habits really lock in when they’re connected to identity, not just willpower.

“The key to creating lasting change is believing you are the kind of person who can do it.”

So, don’t just say you’re trying something new. Decide who you are now. Then act like it.

Identity Check-In

Write one line that starts with: “I’m the kind of person who…”

Here are some ideas:

> ...starts the day with intention, not impulse.

> ...makes choices that support their gut, brain and mood.

> ...uses coffee because they want to, not because they need to.

Stick it on your fridge, mirror or mug.

Say it out loud (even if it feels silly).

Repeat it until your brain files it under “truth.”

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about building momentum, one morning loop at a time. So, if you’re trying to instil a new Brothee Before Coffee habit, then you’re doing exactly that!