Let's Talk About Habits

Let’s talk about habits. Often, the word habit carries a negative undertone. “Don’t do that it, it is a bad habit.” “I’ve really got to kick this habit.” “It’s a habit, I just can’t quit.” However, habits can be good too.  Most of us have at least one healthy habit, if not more, that we do consistently. Habits, good or bad, are so engrained in our daily routine, we do them without even thinking. So then what do we do about those bad habits, if we don’t even know were doing them?   

Many people start each new year with a resolution or two…or three. January 1st marks a day of determination to do something different.  We start out hopeful, eager and motivated.  Unfortunately for many of us, life happens and come February 1st, we find ourselves slipping back into old undesirable habits.  Here is the good news, not all hope is lost! Just because you slipped into an old habit or gave up completely does not mean you will never be able to meet this resolution. Our brain is made up of well over a billion neurons and even more neural connections.  These neural pathways are how the brain sends and receives messages throughout the body and fortunately for us, our brain can develop new pathways, even into our later years.  When we repeat a behavior that neural pathway is reinforced and strengthened—this helps explain why it can be so hard to break a bad habit. You are forcing your brain to go off “the beaten path.” In the same sense, it explains why it can be difficult to start a new healthy habit—the new behavior hasn’t been repeated enough to strength the new pathway yet. So, what can we do?

1.      Set reasonable goals.  Creating new neural pathways is a marathon, not a sprint.  Set reasonable goals, even if that means just getting through today.  The goal is a lifetime change and a lifetime starts with one day at a time.

2.      Be flexible. Our original plan may not highlight everything we needed to know to succeed. Allow yourself to modify your plan when needed to keep moving forward.

3.      Create a support system. Who are your encouragers? What resources are available? Who can help you find hope and who will be there to help celebrate your wins?

4.      If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! The Grand Canyon wasn’t created in a day, creating new neural pathways takes time and consistent repetition. We must allow our brain a chance to change from what it already knows and develop and strengthen a new way of thinking.

Bottomline, it’s never too late to create healthy habits or let go of the unhealthy ones. Be patient with yourself. Give grace at times during struggle and hold yourself accountable to persevere and try again. Just keep trying.  One day, this new habit will be your new normal and the old habit will be a thing of the past.