Strong spoiler: if you keep postponing your habits, this could happen to you too...

Literally, I've sabotaged myself 3 million times
(if you got the reference, I love you, but let's continue...)

Taking care of my body has been A TOTAL DILEMMA, literally an emotional rollercoaster of challenges, insecurities and above all A LOT OF PROCRASTINATION.

Just looking good in the mirror was enough for me (I was only one week into the routine) to go back to eating without measuring my portions, convincing myself that "I deserve it for the effort I made"
...
And now I realize it was the WORST THING I COULD DO

These excuses we convince ourselves of in our little heads are to blame for not being able to accomplish any, but ANY of our goals

Remember dear: SELF-DECEPTION IS NOT SELF-CARE

Here I break the first myth!
You don't deserve a reward for keeping your habits

The ritual that saved me from falling (again)

I know what you're thinking:
"A ritual? That doesn't work for me."

But hear me out.
This isn't just any ritual. This one has science, emotion and art.
And yes, it saved me from getting stuck again.

First, the fact that gave me a reality check:

Your brain doesn't need "motivation" to get back to your habits.
We were deceived...

What it needs is an emotional and sensory signal that activates your routine automatically.
This is what neuroscience says:

Every habit works with a loop: cue → routine → reward. If the cue doesn't exist (or doesn't excite you), the habit gets lost in oblivion.

Now tell me, how many times have you tried to get back to your routines with just willpower?
Spoiler: that's not how it works. Willpower runs out. But rituals... connect you with yourself.

So, what is a powerful ritual?

It's a symbolic, emotional and sensory act that transforms what you do into something that means something.
It's not an obligation.
It's an act of art.
And that changes EVERYTHING.

A Harvard study showed that rituals have the power to:

  • reduce anxiety,

  • increase emotional control,

  • and improve discipline (without needing to feel like it)
    Because what you do with intention and beauty, the brain records more strongly.

The ritual that brought me back to myself

I divided it into three simple but powerful steps. And you can adapt it to your style:

STEP 1: EMOTIONAL CUE

Activate your inner art before doing anything.

Choose a single object that marks the reset:

  • an aromatic candle

  • a specific song

  • a special notebook

  • an image that inspires you

This acts as the "door" that opens the habit loop. It tells your brain: "Okay, let's get back to it."

STEP 2: CREATIVE RECONNECTION

Before resuming your habit, draw, write or release what you're carrying.

It can be a quick note in your journal:

  • "How am I feeling?"

  • "What's sabotaging me today?"

  • "What did I promise myself a week ago?"

This is called conscious emotional expression and it activates your prefrontal cortex, which helps you make better decisions. You're literally reorganizing your mind before acting.

STEP 3: CONSCIOUS REWARD

End with something that's NOT food, TikTok, or social media.

This is where the Melodia artist shines
Reward your action with something that reinforces your creative identity:

  • organize your art supplies

  • take a nice photo of your space

  • stick a sticker in your planner

  • write yourself a phrase as if you were your best friend

  • dance to a 2-minute song as an energy closing

The brain responds better to symbolic rewards than to impulsive rewards. Because one elevates you... and the other chains you.

The result:

I didn't just get back to my habits. I got back to myself.
Because when you do things with art, intention and purpose, you're not repeating tasks. You're remembering who you are.