Building New Habits
How many times have we made the same New Year's resolution? 1, 2, or even 5 years? Sometimes making new habits is harder than you think. On average, it takes 66 days for a new habit to become automatic. However, there is no one-size-fits-all. Some habits are more difficult to make or break than others.
Here are some great tips to make these new habits stick (or at least make it to February!)
Make one change at a time. Don't overwhelm yourself or give yourself an unachievable goal.
Attach a new habit or behavior with something you already do. For example, if you want to walk more, plan to walk at lunch or before you make dinner in the evening.
Be specific and approach it in bite-sized chunks. "Every day at 12pm, I'm going to do a 30-minute walk."
Remember why. Why have you set this new goal? What's the meaning behind it? Keep coming back to that when building any new habit.
What stopped you in the past from succeeding? Can you overcome these roadblocks this time? If it's time, maybe it's more realistic to go to the gym three days a week instead of four.
Do you have the support you need? Share your intentions with someone who can support you and remind you of why you are doing this.
Be kind to yourself. We all have setbacks, and some habits take longer to stick to than others. Long-term change will take time, but it's important that we still show up each day.
Remember, any change for the better is a massive achievement. Celebrate the successes, both big and small. They all count.