With an endless amount of information at our disposal with the click of a mouse, we all know the dos and don’ts to achieve our goals. For example:
We know how to get in shape: move more and eat less!
We know how to exercise: get your heart rate up, do some push-ups, get stronger.
We know how to eat healthy: more vegetables and less sugar.
In the wise words of Derek Sivers: “If information were all we needed, we’d all be billionaires with six-pack abs.”
So why is it so difficult to develop better habits if we already know how to do it? Here are the three top reasons most people break their new habits early on:
- Trying to change too many habits too soon
- Getting impatient when they don’t see quick results.
- Falling out of new habits when life gets busy.
Developing new habits requires determination, lots of patience and constant effort. It could take anywhere from a few weeks to over a year, but it doesn’t matter as long as you don’t give up.
The most important part of building a new habit is staying consistent. It doesn’t matter how well you perform on any particular day; sustained effort is what makes the real difference.
To succeed with your new habit, you must:
- LOVE the idea that you can change — Believing in yourself will give you the motivation you need to succeed.
- Make it IMPORTANT — The change (creation of a habit) must be important for your well-being and something which you genuinely desire.
- Make it EASY — If something is easier to do than not do, then you are more likely to acquire it as a habit.
- Make it REALISTIC — You’re not trying to do something big once; you’re trying to form habits that you can introduce into your life permanently.
If you already have enough exercise in your routine, then you’re halfway there. But if you think you could do more, something as small as a 20-minute walk twice a week will make a world of difference.
- Invest in SELF-CARE — Taking some time off to unwind can do wonders for your mood, mental health, and self-esteem. Do at least one thing every day that makes you feel good. Listen to music, learn a new skill, take a long bath, or prepare a nice healthy meal.
Do not feed yourself with junk food. Love yourself enough to choose what’s right for you.
- Surround yourself with POSITIVE PEOPLE — Let go of relationships that bring you down instead of lifting you up and spend time with people who know how to nurture and share happiness. Since happiness is contagious, it’s one of the easiest ways to create positivity in your life.
Discover the Power of Meditation
When people start to work out daily, it improves all aspects of their lives because they generally want to eat well, stop smoking, and drink less. The same can be said about meditation because it can help you to feel well and relaxed. When you feel good, you want to do good and will naturally avoid anything which makes you feel otherwise.
Meditation helps with relaxation and focus and generally makes you feel good so that you no longer want to do things which harm your body. To help you with your meditation, you can try the DeepH Meditation App for deep healing, stress reduction and help with sleeping. Try it 15 minutes before you go to sleep.
