We all know that healthy habit formation in oneself is quite difficult, but in the end it's necessary to have a long and healthy living. Building lasting habits takes a lot of time, effort, and practice regardless of what our goals are in the end.
Forming good habits is fundamental to living a content and flourishing life. On the other hand, causing drastic changes in your life can be very overwhelming to a person. Any form of long-term success is determined by small and gradual changes for the better.
Well, the good news is that it is very achievable and so worth it in the end.
It is important to understand the process of habit formation before you get into it. Habits are routine acts that happen on its own because we are used to doing them on autopilot. The process of habit creation usually follows the loop of cue, behavior and then reward. As we keep on acting on those habits, it becomes very difficult to break them.
So how can one create lasting habits that are healthy for them? Here are some tips for habit change, that you can apply to your life and follow, to help in starting your journey to better and healthy habit creation:
Start simple:
When you start, pick one or two healthy habits to bring into your life. Starting small helps in maintaining routing and in time, gives you very positive results. It is always best to start with one habit at a time and then move on to the next when it is time. Any drastic changes will lead to mental frustration and exhaustion which will push you to abandon the goal of creating healthy habits. One thing that can work is to choose a habit that aligns to your priorities and goals. Making small habit changes in relation to a life goal that already exists can not only help create a habit but also increase the chances of success with the aligned goal.
Strategize your routine:
To create good and long-lasting habits, it is necessary to have a proper strategy in place to create positive change. Write down all your plans so that you can monitor how it is going for you. Create well defined goals, as in goals that yourself can understand and define. But it is necessary to make sure that these are realistic and attainable goals. Goals that are too vague or lofty will be very discouraging in the end. So, make sure that your goals are realistic and you can measure them in some way. For example, if you want to work out more often, then set a simple goal of walking a certain amount a day for a week or so. Once you get into the routine, the confidence builds which then gives you the next step to a bigger improvement.
Maintain Consistency:
Consistency is key in habit creation. When you attempt a task almost every day, it automatically becomes a part of your routine, hence becoming a habit. Every day, do the healthy habit you have in your mind at the same time and in the same manner. Maintaining a habit over time is reinforced to be normal for you. This will help you overcome any habit change challenges you may face. Creating a time limit or cues for your habit can be very helpful, like to read for 30 minutes before going to sleep, or meditate about 5 minutes after you brush. In time, all these habits become normal and natural to you, and then you are making those habits stick.
Patience is the way:
The truth is that habit creation is not easy in any way. It requires a lot of time and a lot of energy. So, it is important to have patience and persevere even if you do not see the results yet. Patience is difficult at first, but little by little you start realising that it will take a while. This process does not pay off right away, but it will in time. Long term habit development will have a very positive effect on life but it is necessary to be understanding of the time and energy it takes to get till that point.
Acknowledge setbacks and move forward:
It is rare to develop a healthy habit without any obstacles in the way. Setbacks and obstacles are very common in the process. If we end up making a mistake like not doing a habit on a specific day, then do not be too hard on yourself. Better to think why it happened and how can you prevent it from happening again. You should also focus on developing sustainable healthy habits. Never dwell on your mistakes for too long and just get back into routine. Setbacks are for growth rather than for halting your progress. It is important to keep on going and persisting for yourself and your health.
Celebrate your accomplishments:
Give yourself a break occasionally and appreciate what you have done for yourself when you have reached a goal. It is very important to acknowledge your achievements and to celebrate little victors on the way. Because when you celebrate them, it not only motivates you to keep on getting better but it also gives you the responsibility of continuing what you are doing. If you feel accountable for your habits, then it will always help you continue them and inspire your to be responsible with yourself.
Habit creation is never easy, it requires patience, consistency, commitment, and the will to start from somewhere. Follow these habit building strategies to help you transform your life. By concentrating on one habit, you are not only starting the process but also learning how to create other healthy habits for yourself when you can. Remember, success and health come as you keep on adding to the healthy habits you have in life to look forward to. The more you create, the better your life will be.
