4 Simple Steps to Creating New Habits
Creating habits can be a very challenging task, but it is certainly possible to do so, especially if you take a leaf out of James Clear's phenomenal book, titled Atomic Habits. We highly recommend it!
1. MAKE IT OBVIOUS
If your workout clothes are crammed in the bottom of your dresser drawer—wrinkled and ugly-looking—you're probably going to find it difficult to get inspired to meet your fitness goals in the morning. On the other hand, if they're neatly hung up in your closet, ready and waiting for you, chances are that you'll wake up rearing to go! It's never easy to achieve your goals, of course, but if you have all of your ducks in a row, and you make success as convenient and efficient as possible, it will be much easier to accomplish everything that you want to each day!
2. MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE
The problem with "good habits" is that many find them rather unattractive: They're less fun in the short term, generally speaking, but they're far more beneficial in the long run.
For instance, getting super tipsy every night at a party is a lot of fun—at least at first—but then the side effects of this lifestyle may set in, and you could start to feel a lot of discomfort as a result: You may even begin to struggle with severe health issues. Furthermore, you could end up in dangerous situations because you are in a powerless state frequently, which, tragically, could lead to a great deal of trauma.
On the other hand, you might find that you are less tempted to drink alcohol if you avoid bars for a little while and take a break from parties. Furthermore, you'll almost always experience a lot of health benefits as a result of getting drunk less frequently and staying hydrated regularly.
In short, it's best to make whatever pattern you are trying to achieve attractive to participate in. For instance, if you are trying to quit drinking alcohol, you may want to fill your candle with fun events where no adult beverages are allowed: If you are looking forward to attending a monthly book club, walking your dog, or enjoying a game of bingo with your community, this will likely make it a lot easier to reprogram your brain and create the life you truly want.
3. MAKE IT EASY
Have you ever felt like you're swimming through a sea of molasses when you are trying to complete a task? It's a feeling that many of us experience, but there are a few things you can do to make changing a habit that much easier: Convenience is your friend.
If you're trying to eat healthier, you might want to have pre-prepared meals in your fridge so that you can access them with minimal effort. If you crave daily exercise, you'll be more likely to actually take that jog or bicycle ride in the morning if you have the appropriate shoes and clothes neatly laid out the night before. You may even want to have everything in a dedicated gym bag if you are frequently on the go.
4. MAKE IT SATISFYING
It's so satisfying when you actually write 2000 words each day for that novel you've been planning for years, or when you quit smoking for the final time, or when you finally achieve the fitness goals that you've been working towards for months: You feel unstoppable.
As humans, we love rewards, so it's a good idea to set ourselves up for success by offering ourselves something in exchange for engaging in healthy habits. How you do this is up to you: Maybe you want to eat your favorite snack each time you complete one of your goals. It's important to make this something you enjoy that also has a positive influence on the rest of your life.
Changing habits is not an easy task by any means, but it can be done. We hope that you practice patience with yourself during this challenging process. If you remain consistent, the likelihood of you fulfilling all of your aspirations in life is quite high!
Just keep at it.