Thursday, July 3, 2014

Building Good Habits

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."  - Aristotle

Building good habits is not as easy as 1-2-3, rather is takes time, dedication, and strength that can come from within, and other factors.

Some argue that a habit - albeit, good or bad, takes 21 days to develop.  Others says that there are many factors, including social & environmental surroundings, the actual habit that is being formed, and whether the person is in good mental health.

A teenager being offered a cigarette a couple times, then finding his/her way into a full pack, and after a few weeks, may find themselves smoking daily.

A woman who wants to be thin and makes herself purge a few times, may lead into once or twice a day.

A person trying out cocaine at a party, and then wanting to reach that same high over and over again.

Or....a person who decides that they are going to be fit, and gets their butt out to the gym for three straight weeks, and starts seeing results in more than one way.  That's a positive habit.

So how does one go about building good habits that will benefit their life?  There's so easy solution, and often we give up too quickly.

Here are some tips on how to start, and hopefully continue with good habit behavior!

- Commit to 1 month of the habit you want to form.  
- Make it a daily thing in that 1 month.  
- Start simple.  We often set huge goals, and then fall short.  
- Set reminders in your phone, on your fridge, etc
- Stay consistent.
- Use the buddy system with a friend who will support you.
- Accept imperfections. It won't happen overnight.
- Remove temptation from your surroundings.
- Know the benefits and the pain, so that you are prepared.

And lastly, and the biggest one, DO IT FOR YOURSELF. 

You can do it.  Believe in yourself that you can make this healthy, good, habit behavior stick.  

As always, we are here to help support you through anything you are facing and want to know what healthy habits you're adopting!



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