Just like bad habits, good habits are built up over time. It takes more than 2 months for behaviour to begin to be automatic – some studies suggest that between 18 to 254 days depending on the personality type. Not only that, but it is the third week of a good habit that can often feel the most difficult.
Photo by Lesly Juarez on Unsplash
This goes for habits that are going to make a significant impact. For example, increasing how much water you drink or taking 5 minutes to meditate are pretty ‘small’ (comparatively) habits to build, and you are likely going to be closer to 21 days. If you are looking to make working out a part of your life, this might take a little bit longer to achieve as an automatic behaviour.
In the end, though, all of the good habits that you take the time to build will improve how you feel mentally, physically, emotionally and even spiritually.
So, here are some habits that you can’t do without, on the journey to being happier and healthier.
Eat Well
Something that cannot be stressed enough is that what you put into your body needs to be high quality and healthy. The exciting thing is that many people don’t realize that even when it comes to treats, you can have delicious options that are still in keeping with your healthy eating plans. Like this 90-second healthy mug muffin!
Think of your body as one of the best machines on the planet – and that everything you feed it should be nutrient-dense, whole, fresh and avoiding refined sugars.
This isn’t a change that will happen overnight, instead, make slow swaps; one or two things a week until you get to where you want to be.
Hydrate
You know by now that the human body is mostly made up of water. But many of our organs are made up of a much higher percentage. So when it comes to the most simple of improvements and changes – drinking more water is the best. It takes no time or effort to improve your hydration. Many people find it beneficial to have a reminder set on their phone or use a mobile application to remind them to drink water at set intervals. This prompt will eventually become automatic behaviour.
Movement
Not everyone has built up their stamina to be able to tackle long weight sessions – but everyone has to start somewhere. A great way to start getting your muscles and breathing techniques ready for a more vigorous workout is yoga or pilates. A few of these brilliant yoga tips will get you started, and then from there, you can add more and more movement into each day or week. Try to make it something fun, people often try a routine that they don’t enjoy. If you love to cycle, focus on that for a while. If dancing makes you happy, then check out Zumba or dance around your living room for 30 minutes at least.
Gratitude
If you want to live a life that you are in love with, you are going to have to love the life you are living. Being grateful, and who you are, what you have and who you know can have a significant impact on how you feel.
However, it doesn’t always come easily.
You can start by thinking about three things that you are grateful for right now. And it can be anything. You can be thankful your coffee is hot, the sun is shining, and you have work. Or you can be grateful that you have a roof, a thriving family and access to fresh food. Apply this to your own circumstances. When you get the hang of being grateful for things on a daily basis, you can extend the thought process. Being grateful for things you have means that you are putting a positive light on as much as possible.
And that positivity will build up over time until you’re full of it.
Brain
Your mind needs as much care and fuel as your body. We generally have a need to learn and grow. So if there is something that you have always wanted to learn or a skill you want to improve on – make time for it.
In the end, we all have the same amount of hours in the day, and while some people might have more time demands than others, we can all make small improvements that lead to much more significant results. Commit to the changes, accept support and create accountability with friends and family to help maximize your results.
This is a collaborative post.
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