Last Updated: 12/21/25
Creating lasting habit change shouldn’t make us miserable in the process. Yet many people have experienced this cycle: setting goals, achieving them through sheer force of will, and then finding themselves right back where they started. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Most people ultimately want the same thing—to be healthy and happy. That’s the end goal. But what if healthy and happy wasn’t the finish line? What if it was the starting point? What if your own definition of health and happiness became the guiding light behind every decision you made?
At One on One, we guide our clients to look through this lens of overall health and happiness. When they do, goals like weight loss often take on a very different shape. For example, following a highly restrictive diet and exercising 90 minutes a day will likely lead to weight loss, but at what cost? Are you healthier? Are you happier? Are you enjoying the process?
Contrast that with taking a measured approach that aligns with your desired lifestyle. When you enjoy the process, the pursuit of health becomes a very fulfilling part of your life, not something you need to push through. It becomes something you appreciate rather than a chore.
We have seen this come to fruition for countless clients throughout the years. While there’s no exact playbook for approaching a goal through the lens of health and happiness, we have observed that those who experience long-term success have embraced and practiced the following principles:
Embracing a Grateful Mindset
Shifting from “Ugh, I have to work out” to “I get to work out” is powerful. Gratitude for the ability to exercise, for having choices, for having food on the table can create positive momentum. Without it, negativity and burnout often take over.
Less Is More
The journey toward health and happiness is a marathon, not a sprint. Make commitments that are manageable enough to ensure success, but significant enough to move the needle.
One Day at a Time
When goals are approached one day at a time, they become less overwhelming and far more achievable.
Connecting the Short Term with the Long Term
Just as saving money today supports financial security later in life, the choices we make around fitness and nutrition today should align with being healthy and happy years from now.
We Always Have Choices
Lasting change isn’t possible if we see ourselves as victims of circumstance. Empowerment begins when we recognize that we always have a choice in how we respond.
Practicing Acceptance
True health and happiness remain out of reach until we learn to accept life on life’s terms and find serenity in dealing with reality.
Whatever goals you’re working toward, make sure they move you closer to what matters most: long-term health and happiness.
