What if you could change or break a bad habit in one month’s time? Would you do it?
Do you think that 30 days is too long to make a change? We often want a quick change, or an instant fix, but in reality some of our habits have been going on for years, or even a lifetime, and they need time to reprogram or change.
We all have unwanted habits or behaviors that we have struggled with. Some are easier than others to release, but then there are those behaviors that we like, although the payoff causes us much grief and pain. Why are those habits so hard to break? Mainly because a part of us resists changing them. It’s easy to fall back into old patterns as they are comfortable and routine.
Recently I decided to focus and work on a health issue that I had been struggling with for years. I decided to actively commit 30 days to my overall health. At first I thought it was easy, but after a day or two, I resisted the new health regime and struggled to find time, although it literally took only minutes out of my day. My old habits were almost magnetically pulling me back into old cycles and patterns, but I continued as I had set the intention of healing. Then towards the end of the month, I found myself lapsing back into old ways once again, although for the majority of the month I stuck by my plans, and the last two days became a challenge. I persisted though and recognized that a part of myself wanted to go backward, but I had made the decision to change bad habits and that kept me on track. I completed my 30 days and my health issue did resolve. I realized that I had the power to change much about myself and my own personal habits and that felt empowering.
What do you need to change? What personal habit or behavior needs to go? Are you willing to take 30 days try? Are you worth it?
30 Day Steps to Break a Habit
Step 1: Set your intention on what needs to change.
Step 2: Pick a date that you start and follow through.
Step 3: Try to follow through with the change at the same time each day if possible.
Step 4: Document in a notebook each day what and how you are working on that specific behavior, note the date, time, resistance level, and changes.
Step 5: Try not to miss one day, but if you do, continue as soon as possible and extend the 30 days.
Step 6: At the end of the 30 days, note the difference in the habit or behavior. Has it stopped? Have you made some progress? Do you need to continue working on it? Has it changed?
Step 7: Move forward knowing that you have made progress and pick another habit that you want to break, change or alter and start again, otherwise acknowledge your hard work and feel good about all that you have achieved. Celebrate your success!
Change can be a challenge, but setting the goal of making a change within 30 days not only changed one area of life, but started me working on making several other positive changes.
30 days to a new you!