Identity-Based Habits: The Psychology Behind Your Glow-Up

ByChelsea Clarke
woman relaxing while listening to HerPaperRoute podcast episode about Identity-Based Habits: The Psychology Behind Your Glow-Up

Here’s a little secret about every glow-up you’ve ever envied on Instagram: it wasn’t the new skincare routine, the matching workout sets or the color-coded planner or even the matcha. The real shift happened in the brain.

Because the psychology behind your glow-up is all about becoming the kind of person who naturally does the things that get you results. That’s where identity-based habits come in.

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Why Some Goals and Habits Don’t Stick

Ever tried to overhaul your entire life on a whim? Wake up at 5am, drink green algae, meditate, run 5k, journal, reorganize your closet, answer all emails by noon?

Three days in and you’re face-down in a Costco birthday cake and it’s not even your birthday, with nothing on your to-do list done, wondering why willpower hates you. “I should eat better,” “I should launch offers more often,” “I should film more content…”

Stop should-ing all over yoursef. It’s not your fault. Habits don’t stick when they’re built on “shoulds.” They stick when they’re tied to your identity. This is exactly what we are discussing on today’s podcast episode:

Listen to the episode now:

iTunes | Spotify | Youtube

What Are Identity-Based Habits?

Identity-based habits are the ones you create by deciding who you are first, and letting your actions flow from that.

  • Instead of: “I want to run a marathon.”
    Try: “I am a runner.”
  • Instead of: “I should really start a blog.”
  • Try: “I am a writer.”

See the difference? You’re not trying to force a new behavior. You’re stepping into a new identity, and the behaviors naturally follow.

Trick Your Brain Like This

In the podcast episode, we break down exactly how to make this psychology work for you. A sneak peek:

  • Pick the identity first. Who do you want to become? A writer, an entrepreneur, a healthy eater, a morning person? Decide and claim it.
  • Stack tiny actions. Want to be a “reader”? Start with one page a day. Want to be “fit”? Do 5 squats while your coffee brews. Tiny actions repeated = identity locked in.
  • Talk like the person. Your self-talk is powerful. Say “I’m the kind of person who ___” and watch your brain catch up.
  • Let the glow-up sneak up on you. Before you know it, you’re not “trying to be” that version of you, you are her.

Listen Now

If you’re tired of starting routines and ditching them two weeks later, this episode will give you the mindset shift you need to finally stick with the habits that transform you.

Listen to the episode now:

iTunes | Spotify | Youtube

Why This Changes Everything

When you focus on identity, habits stop feeling like chores and start feeling like self-expression. This way, you’re not forcing yourself to show up anymore. Instead, you’re just being who you are.

Learn more about identity-based habits in my book, Glow Up Yourself!

Follow along on Instagram!

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Chelsea Clarke

Chelsea Clarke is a creator, investor, the founder of HerPaperRoute and the author of Glow Up Yourself. HerPaperRoute provides women with the tools they need to create an optimum lifestyle glow up - one that that balances entrepreneurial pursuits with marketing strategy, growth mindset, and success habits. Chelsea has been featured in Business Insider, MSN, Tech Times and more.

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