Ever wonder why you eat that extra slice of cake after dinner, skip the gym even though it’s on your calendar, or stay up scrolling on your phone instead of going to bed?
The answer lies in your behavior. And your behavior isn’t random—it’s shaped by triggers, routines, and the environment around you. Let’s break this down, step by step, so you can start to see how to take back control and make choices that align with your goals.
What Drives Your Behavior?
First, let’s talk about what behavior really is. At its core, behavior serves a purpose, even when it doesn’t seem to make sense.
Solving a Problem: Behavior often fixes something—whether it’s real or just how you perceive it. For example, grabbing a cookie when stressed might temporarily calm your nerves.
Expressing Who You Are: Behavior shows your values, priorities, or identity. Maybe you skip meals to stay busy because productivity is part of how you define success.
Coping Mechanism: Many behaviors help us handle tough emotions or situations, even if they’re not the healthiest ways to cope.
Automatic and Subconscious: Much of what you do happens on autopilot, driven by triggers in your environment or habits you’ve built over time.
And here’s the kicker: most of the time, you’re not even aware of the thoughts and feelings that drive these actions.
The Hidden Influences on Your Choices
Your decisions aren’t made in a vacuum. They’re influenced by:
Time: How much (or little) you have shapes what you prioritize.
People: The company you keep can encourage or derail healthy habits.
Environment: What’s around you—at home, work, or even in your car—can prompt or prevent certain behaviors.
For example, if there’s a bag of chips on the counter, you’re far more likely to snack on them than if they’re out of sight.
Becoming More Aware of Triggers
Awareness is the first step to changing behavior. Ask yourself:
What situations tend to trip me up (like being tired, stressed, or rushed)?
Are there certain people or places that encourage poor choices?
What environments or routines make it easier for me to stick to my goals?
Think of these as your personal “traffic lights”:
Red Light: Situations or triggers where you’re likely to struggle (e.g., late-night cravings or having junk food at arm’s reach).
Yellow Light: Sometimes risky, depending on your mood or circumstances (e.g., eating out with friends).
Green Light: Situations where you thrive and make great choices effortlessly (e.g., meal-prepping on Sundays).
Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light Situations: Understanding Your Triggers
Red light situations are the things that send you spiraling. These are the people, feelings, thoughts, or environments that flip you out and put you at your absolute worst. These triggers push all the buttons that make you react in ways you'd rather not—overthinking, overeating, snapping, procrastinating, or whatever your default "uh-oh" behavior looks like.
For example, red light situations for clients might include emotions like boredom or stress that lead to overeating, or environments like walking into a bakery while hungry. In these moments, making a positive choice feels nearly impossible. But here's the good news: this can change with practice.
Yellow light situations are a mixed bag—they're unpredictable. Sometimes they're fine; sometimes, they derail you. Maybe a specific situation only bothers you under certain circumstances, like failing a test in your least favorite subject, or dealing with someone who’s annoying only when you’re already stressed. For clients, a yellow light could look like being okay with having one beer at home but going completely off the rails with drinking buddies. These situations depend on context and mood, making them tricky but not hopeless.
Green light situations, on the other hand, are your safe zones. These are the people, feelings, thoughts, or environments that keep you on track and maybe even inspire your best behaviors. For example, broccoli is rarely anyone's binge food. Or maybe listening to a favorite song is the perfect gym motivation. These situations naturally align with the choices you want to make, and they’re great for building habits.
Once you’ve identified triggers, you can build an action plan. Here’s how:
Address the biggest or smallest triggers. You might start by removing one major trigger (e.g., keeping junk food out of the house) or tackling an easy win (e.g., entering the house through a door that doesn’t lead past the kitchen).
Leverage green light triggers. Build habits around positive triggers, like creating a "power playlist" for workouts or starting each morning with a routine that puts you in a productive mindset.
Set up your environment for success. Small changes to your surroundings can make a big impact:
Visibility: Put healthy snacks where you can see them, and hide the less healthy ones.
Proximity: Keep water or meal-prepped snacks within arm’s reach.
Convenience: Lay out your gym clothes or prep meals ahead of time.
Memory aids: Use reminders like sticky notes or phone alarms to prompt desired behaviors.
Support systems: Involve others to hold you accountable or join you in forming new habits.
Flip the Script on Unwanted Behaviors
Just as you can make positive behaviors easier, you can make negative behaviors harder. For example:
Make unhealthy snacks less visible by storing them in a hard-to-reach cabinet.
Add barriers to temptations, like keeping your phone out of the bedroom to avoid doom scrolling.
Change the experience, like using bitter nail polish to stop biting your nails.
Dr. Berardi’s First Law
Dr. John Berardi sums it up perfectly:“If a food is in your house or possession, you will eventually eat it.”
This principle highlights the importance of shaping your environment rather than relying on sheer willpower, which gets depleted over time. The good news? The reverse is also true:“If a healthy food is in your house or possession, you will eventually eat it.”
By shaping the path toward healthier options and removing friction around good choices, you make them your new default.
So, let’s reflect: What would your trigger list look like?
Try this Food List Worksheet:Red-Yellow-Green Foods Worksheet
What triggers good choices?
What triggers bad ones?
What’s sometimes a toss-up?
Your list can become a roadmap for change—whether it’s avoiding the pitfalls or doubling down on what’s already working. And that’s where the magic happens.
Small Changes = Big Wins
If this feels overwhelming, don’t worry. You don’t have to overhaul your life overnight. Start small:
Swap out one snack for a healthier option.
Rearrange your pantry to highlight nutritious foods.
Build one new habit, like walking after dinner, instead of trying to fix everything at once.
These small shifts create a ripple effect that builds momentum over time.
What’s Next?
Take a moment today to reflect on your environment and triggers. What’s helping you? What’s getting in the way?
If you’re ready to dig deeper, try creating a “trigger list.” Write down the situations, people, or feelings that lead to both good and bad choices. Use this as your roadmap to adjust your environment and set yourself up for success.
Remember, you don’t need to rely on willpower. You can make better choices by shaping your surroundings and nudging yourself in the right direction.
So, what’s one small change you’ll make today? Let me know—I’d love to hear!
Your journey is yours, but you’re not in it alone. Together, we can create the environment you need to thrive.
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