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Why Sticking to New Habits is Difficult — and How to Make it Easier
Instead of telling yourself to do something, ask yourself a yes or no question.
It’s been 22 days since the New Year started. 22 days ago, people all around the world formed New Year’s Resolutions. At this point, many people may have given up already, but some of us might still be going strong.
For those who are trying to make sustainable changes in their lives, here are some tips and tricks for maintaining good habits.
Trying to kick an old habit? Form a new one instead.
Habits cannot be erased. The basal ganglia, the deepest area of the brain, is where our habits live. Once we are familiar with a habit, it is wired into our brains, as “neurons that fire together, wire together.”
However, this doesn’t mean that humans can’t change.
It simply means that instead of trying to get rid of an old habit, we must replace it with a new habit.
Let’s say that you are trying to kick the habit of snacking on unhealthy, processed foods while you work. To do this, try to dig into the reason why you snack in the first place. This will determine the behavior to replace.
