Changing habits and behaviors

Most of us have at least one (or more!) habits we would like to change. We also understand that it’s not easy to change our habits. So how do we do it? Different strategies work for different people, but some general ideas are important to keep in mind.

Decisions are hard! - Most people automatically brush their teeth. We don’t think about whether or not we will brush our teeth, we just do it. It’s the same thing when we get dressed or any number of other things that we do automatically in our lives. Habits require minimal brain power because they are automatic.

When we want to start something new or change an unhealthy habit, creating systems around automating the habit make it much more likely that we will succeed. There are lots of ways to do this!

Unrealistic goals are frustrating! - Setting extreme goals is a proven way to set ourselves up for failure. Changing or adjusting behaviors does not happen overnight. Just like an experiment, there are multiple variables and conditions that affect each of us individually. There are countless ways to arrive at a destination. Sometimes we encounter roadblocks as we progress. This often drives us to quit, but instead we can look at these as a way to make adjustments for ourselves. Learning what doesn’t work is still progress!

Support is essential! - Support and encouragement are an integral part of successful change. Have you ever experienced feeling like you did pretty well on something, and someone saying that “you could have done better”? How about feeling like you failed at something and not having anyone to commiserate with? Or maybe you tell yourself it’s not good enough? None of this is conducive to change! Believing in ourselves and our capacity for improvement does not come from being negative or broken down by ourselves or others. It comes from positive reinforcement, and cooperative exploration.

Cheers to taking the best care of ourselves!