When forming new habits into your day-to-day routine, it’s important to start small. Create some simple habits, take a step back and evaluate them, and then adjust as needed. Just know like others things you attempt in life, these habits may not be perfect, may need some adjusting, and others may not work out for you at all.
Habits Can Change
It’s important to realize that nothing is set in stone. Our lives are always changing and evolving, so it’s realistic to expect that our habits will change and evolve as well.
It’s good every now and then to take a step back and consider where you are, where you want to go, and if your new habits are helping you get to where you want to be. If they aren’t helping or improving your life in any way, it may be time to change them or end them completely.
It doesn’t mean that you chose a bad habit, it simply means that it’s not right for you personally, for your schedule, your lifestyle, or where you’re at in your life. Remember, priorities and goals are always changing at different times in your life, it’s okay that your habits change as well.
Did You Give it Enough Time?
Before you decide to change or quit a habit completely, make sure that you’ve given it enough time. Look at the habit and your personal goals – if you’ve been consistent for 30 days and it’s gotten to the point where you are doing it and not having to think about it, it may be working for you.
On the other hand, if you’ve been doing it for 45-60 days and you still don’t see any benefits from it, or you find yourself dreading the action, then you need to decide if it’s right for you to continue.
The key, however, is consistency. Once you decide that it’s beneficial to keep that habit, you need to be consistent or it won’t successfully become a habit.
Evaluate Your Progress and Make Changes
Whenever you start a new habit whether it be for fitness, healthy, nutrition, or any other aspect of your life, you should track that habit. For example, do it for 30 days, reflect and ask yourself if you’ve been consistent and if it’s benefitting you in some way.
If it’s benefitting you and it’s something you can commit to doing on a regular basis, stick with it and take another look at each every few months or so to make sure it’s still aligned with your goals.
If you find that your new habit isn’t benefitting you, evaluate how you can change it or choose to do something different. There’s no need to do something just for the sake of doing it. The things that you are consistently committing to should be taking you closer to the goals that you want to achieve such as being healthier, more fit, stronger, or even getting your diabetes under control the way you want it to be.