So every year you made New Year resolutions, you resolved to learn a new skill, start the weight loss program, try a new diet, rest better, drink more water and mind your business. You made the decision and was very determined to pull through, sure you probably started out with a bang and of course, the first few days were incredible, you were making progress (or so you thought) and loved every minute of it.
But along the way, after a couple of weeks, your devotion and zeal begin to wane like the croaks of a dying chicken. You’re no longer excited and as a matter of fact, it’s no longer fun. All of a sudden like the snap of a finger a million reasons and excuses why you couldn’t go on comes up.
Oh well, believe me, you’re not alone, we’ve all had our fair share of disappointing ourselves when it comes to resolutions. The truth is that it’s usually hard to forge new habits and keep at it, especially if you don’t have the right guide to sustain it.
Yes, getting yourself hooked-up with the right attitude to form new (good) habit might be difficult, but thankfully, not impossible. here are a few of these secrets.
- Find the ‘Why’: You have to find a strong reason ‘why’ you should form this new habit and ‘why’ it’s necessary to discontinue the old one even if the reason is emotional. When you have the ‘why’ it constantly reminds you of the goal. The ‘why’ makes it possible that you see a yummy bowl of chocolate ice cream or a saucer full of cookies and you decline because you have to achieve that healthy looking body you’re aiming for.
- Start small: Don’t make it too bulky for yourself. Work on getting hooked on one habit at a time. You can start with five minutes of whatever it is you’re doing. It may feel like you’re not doing enough and might even become strenuous, but keep at it and make it a regular routine. As time goes by, you increase the time until you build up on the habit.
- Find a trigger: This must be something you do every time. Just like a dog gets excited at the sound of the whistle because it knows its food-time, your new habit should instantly follow the trigger because it becomes a cue to your brain that tells you to perform your new routine.
- Celebrate your win and create a reward: This is very important because when you give yourself a gift and enjoy your progress you look forward to doing more. You are rewiring the brain to get happiness and satisfaction out of this new behaviour.
- Teach it: One of the greatest ways you retain information is to teach it. so after you have gotten your habit in tow, gather some disciples and begin to coach them on how to achieve the habit. This action nails down your habit not just into a behaviour, but makes it your character.
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This article was first published on 12th September 2017
beckonoise
Becky Onoise is a psychologist, chocolate junkie, and puppy lover. A writer who is sorry... not sorry about correcting your grammar. She's a word enthusiast and aims to achieve her goals. Instagram handle @mz_berkey
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