Building New Habits

Building new habits is challenging. I can’t tell you how many times I tried to implement a new habit (i.e. eat healthy, regular workouts, limiting social media) only to find myself giving up after trying for a short time. This cycle left me feeling inadequate, frustrated, and hopeless to make any real changes. Many people struggle to create lasting habits which get results. This isn’t because they aren’t motivated or capable of making these changes. 

Did you know there is actually a science behind building healthy habits?! There are actually proven strategies that help people make lasting changes! It’s helpful to talk about the common pitfalls people fall into before diving into strategies to build healthy habits. There are three common mistakes people make when trying to start a new habit: 

1. They never get started! People often research different ways to lose weight or exercise but they never actually start implementing these strategies.

2. Their goals are too challenging or unrealistic. It’s discouraging when you put effort into something that doesn’t feel within your reach. 

3. People focus on perfection rather than progress. They discount the changes or progress they have made when they don’t do it perfectly.  

Understanding common challenges or mistakes to building new habits is only the first step. It’s important to use strategies that have been proven to work. The following tips and strategies will help you create habits that will lead to long-term success: 

1. Start Small. When starting a new habit, set a goal that seems “easy” to accomplish. A good rule of thumb is to focus on the first step of the long-term goal or practice for less than 5 minutes as a starting point. For example, walk five minutes per day if your long-term goal is to run a 5K. Build on your success rather than set yourself up for failure! 

2. Pair Your New Habit with a Pre-existing Habit. It’s much easier to add to something you already do rather than trying to start something from scratch. You could walk five minutes per day before your daily hygiene routine if this is something you already do.  

3. Make It Easy. Decrease the number of obstacles which may interfere with your ability to follow through with your habit. Lay out your workout clothes in a place where you will see them so you don’t have to look for them when it’s time to walk. If you normally walk outside, have a backup plan for when the weather is bad. 

4. Track Your Habit. Checking something off your list always feels good. Track the amount of time or distance you walked each day and try to keep your streak alive! See how many days in a row you can go without missing! It’s also helpful to track factors that may interfere with follow-through such as bad weather, stress, lack of time, etc. Once you are aware of what gets in your way, you can figure out what to do about it. 

5. Give Yourself Grace. It’s inevitable to have problems following through 100% of the time. Life happens. Focus on the progress you have made and getting back on track rather than giving up! Even small changes can make a big difference when you do them consistently! 

Hopefully these tips will help you approach new habits differently. If you are struggling to make changes in your life and need additional support, feel free to book your free 15-minute consultation with our intake coordinator. We’d be happy to discuss if one of the therapists on our team can help you reach your goals.

Not quite ready to take that step? That’s okay! Learn about our therapy services or send us a message !

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