Out with the Old, In with the New: Building Healthy Habits
- flylearntoloveyour
- Mar 21, 2024
- 2 min read
Change is hard. As creatures of habit, we often find comfort in the familiar routines of our daily lives. Whether adopting a healthier lifestyle or making a change, it can feel overwhelming.
When thinking about building habits, I automatically thought of New Year Resolutions. We vow to exercise more, eat healthier, or finally kick that habit we've been meaning to break. But all too often, we lose steam trying to achieve these big resolutions before they have time to stick. To make building a habit easier, follow these steps!
Breaking It Down
Instead of diving headfirst into a completely new routine or lifestyle, breaking a big goal into smaller, more obtainable steps is often more effective. By making these steps easy to achieve, we set ourselves up for success in the long run.
Habit Stacking
One effective strategy for building new habits is habit stacking. This involves adding something new to an existing habit. For example, instead of mindlessly scrolling through your phone while you have your morning coffee, try journaling or practicing gratitude. By stacking habits, you create a natural trigger that makes staying consistent with the new behavior you're adding to a routine easier.
Repetition
Repetition is a core part of building new habits. While it may be challenging at times, consistently repeating the behavior you want to integrate into your life increases the likelihood of it becoming embedded in your daily life.
Patience
Change does not happen overnight; focus on progress over perfection when implementing a new habit, and remember to celebrate the small wins along the way.
Reward Yourself: Celebrating Success
Lastly, reward yourself for your efforts when building a new habit. Adding habits is hard work; by rewarding yourself, you acknowledge progress and keep yourself motivated.
Building healthy habits is a journey that requires patience, determination, and an openness to embrace change. By breaking big goals into manageable steps, incorporating new habits into existing routines, repeating positive behaviors, practicing patience, and rewarding ourselves along the way, we can start to lead the way to a healthier, happier life.
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