Are you struggling to change your behavior or life choices for the better? Good for you! Remember, though, that it’s natural that changing a habit takes time and can even seem impossible. Whether it’s losing weight, quitting smoking or taking up a positive attitude, it worth the effort. It is always a rough road and in many cases, you have tried everything and nothing seems to work. To help in your journey, here are a few tips that you might find useful.
Before we delve into the strategies that have proven to work, it’s essential to mention that everything is controlled by the mind. So, learn to condition your mind towards what you want to achieve, and truly make it a priority in your life.
- Set cognitive goals
The reason why a routine to workout daily fails is that the mind isn’t ready for the journey, even though the body is able and willing. This happens to all the habits you want to start or stop. To prepare yourself, and have a vision of what you want to achieve. Work out the kinks of how to get there. Explore all the options in your mind and have back up plans in case of any challenges. These are referred to as cognitive goals. Once your mind is ready, then the rest will follow.
- Set priorities
The next step is to have a list and prioritize. Chances are, there is more than one positive habit that you want to adopt. Getting there will, therefore, include changing some aspects of your life and even taking up new activities. In order not to be overwhelmed by the obstacles, a priority list will help. Starting with the most urgent and slowly move down the list will be a motivator. In addition, a priority list helps a positive habit stick since you can’t move to the next habit without mastering the previous.
- Be aware of harmful patterns
Negative habits aren’t always obvious to us, such as excessive drinking. Sometimes you have to dig deeper into your life to identify them. For instance, it could be spending too much time indoors with a “cold one” always nearby or hitting Happy Hours multiple times per week. Evaluate your lifestyle so that you can know where to start and what other factors are preventing the change you desire.
- Reward small victories
It’s never easy to break a bad habit. Therefore, any small step that proves to be a win deserves to be celebrated. At the same time, do not beat yourself up if you backslide to old habits or face a challenge. Instead, just keep the fighting spirit high and in the end, and you will conquer the bad habit.
These four points are a good start to adopt new habits that will stick and assist in breaking the bad ones. To create new habits, be true to yourself and be persistent to get past all the challenges. What you set your mind to do is what you achieve.
Here’s to your health!
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Dr. Kevin Crawford
Enjoy life to its Fullest!
Sports Medicine Lubbock
Disclaimer: This information is provided as an educational service only, and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Anyone seeking specific medical advice or assistance should consult his or her doctor or orthopedic surgeon.