What if the key to making new healthy habits stick wasn’t discipline or self-control... but compassion?

This episode wraps up our 4-part behavior change series with the neuroscience of self-compassion and a proven 3-step process to help you transform habits from the inside out.

What to Listen For:

• [03:00] The 3 things your brain actually needs to create lasting change
• [04:30] Why fighting your thoughts triggers your stress response
• [06:00] What part of your brain the “elephant” lives in—and why logic won’t work there
• [07:30] Why tiny habits feel safer to your brain (and work better)
• [10:00] The surprising way self-criticism mimics physical danger
• [11:00] How self-compassion activates your “rest and digest” system
• [12:00] Amy’s 3-step process to redirect “elephant” thoughts (instead of arguing with them)
• [15:00] The identity-based shift that changes everything
• [20:00] Questions to ask yourself that keep you aligned with your future self
• [22:00] Common hidden identities that sabotage progress—like “I’m an emotional eater” or “I’m not athletic”
• [24:00] The invisible influence of self-labels on habit formation and behavior
• [25:30] How to gently reframe your identity
• [00:27:00] How repetition and identity come together to make habits automatic (without pressure or shame)

Change doesn’t happen through pressure—but it can happen under the right conditions. This episode offers a practical, neuroscience-backed way to shift your habits by honoring your needs and rewiring your brain one kind thought at a time.

Ready to become the woman you want to be? Tune in, subscribe to the podcast, and don’t forget to check out the earlier episodes in this series for a full foundation.

RESOURCES:

• Book a FREE Discovery Call with Amy Lang
• Order Amy's book Thoughts Are Habits Too: Master Your Triggers, Free Yourself From Diet Culture, and Rediscover Joyful Eating.
• Follow Amy on Instagram @habitwhisperer
• Follow Amy on Facebook @amylangcoaching