Habits serve a wonderful function in our lives.  They literally get us through our days.

Ask yourself this – how do you put on your socks and shoes every day?  Do you put on the two socks first and then the two shoes, or do you do one sock and one shoe and then the other sock and the other shoe?

Neither method is better than the other.  The point is that you learned this habit so long ago that you probably do it now without even thinking about it.  It may seem like second nature but, like most things you do, it was once something that you needed to learn.

Probably 99% of your habits are either beneficial or benign.  But that last 1% can drive you crazy. What’s your worst wellness habit? Do you:

~~ eat too much?

~~ eat poorly?

~~ stress out over everything?

~~ slouch?

~~ avoid physical activity?

~~ drink empty calories and not enough water?

~~ bite your nails?

~~ get too little sleep?

~~ think unkind things about your body or your mind?

~~ some combination of the above?

How many times have you struggled to change your "bad" wellness habits? If you’re like most people, probably quite a few. So what’s the secret to finally nailing down those healthy habits that will make you feel better and (possibly) live longer?

FIRST WE NEED AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT. Let’s stop referring to “good habits” and “bad habits” as if they were black and white. This is not a character issue, but one of routine. Better to class your habits as “positive” or “negative”. If you have a negative habit you can bet that there is a positive habit that can replace it.

NEXT WE NEED RESOLVE, NOT WILLPOWER. Note that resolve is not the same as willpower.  Having willpower implies “doing something against your will,” and that’s why it routinely fails. Resolve on the other hand, comes from the Latin word “resolvere:” to loosen. It literally means to break something into little parts or to reduce something to a simpler form.  “Resolving to do something” then implies that you will tackle the new behavior bit by bit.

THEN WE NEED A WAY OF REMINDING OURSELVES TO PRACTICE THE NEW HABIT. To establish any habit we need to do it often enough for it to become routine. For most people that translates to anywhere from three to four weeks of consistently performing the new habit. You’ll know you have it down pat when it feels weird NOT to do it. You will be getting daily email reminders for several months to help you get the habit to “stick.”  Feel free to reinforce the reminders however you feel: post-it notes, planners, voicemail messages, calls from Mom – whatever works!

HARDEST OF ALL, WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE THE NEW HABIT DOABLE. Just because your best friend loves her yoga-at-dawn routine doesn’t mean that you will too. Maybe you’re not a morning person. Maybe the routine bores you. Maybe you’re more of a salsa-at-seven person.  Just wanting to create a new habit won’t make it happen. It has to be something that you can actually make yourself do.

If one approach doesn’t work, try another!  If one exercise bores you, switch to something else. If you can never remember to take your vitamins at breakfast, try lunch or dinner. In the course of finding out what DOESN’T work for you, you might just discover what DOES.

One of the most important parts of creating a doable habit is overcoming your objections to doing it. It is surprising sometimes jsut how many stumbling blocks we put in our own way.  Try tackling each small objection one at a time.  It may take longer to establish the habit this way, but you stand a much greater chance of sticking with it over the long haul.

FINALLY, WHEN YOU MAKE PROGRESS, DON'T BE AFRAID TO REWARD YOURSELF!  We all do better at tasks when we get encouragement.  It helps to know that someone is cheering you on. Don't wait for someone else to notice your new positive habits.  Be your own cheerleader! Acknowledge all the little bits of progress you make, even if it's only with a sticker, a journal entry, or a smile at yourself in the mirror. Just remember not to use food or drink as a reward!

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A final thought on the subject. Have you ever seen a Muggle smoking a cigar or cigarette?  Most of them come to their senses in time and decide to quit, but it is very, very difficult for the poor dears, because it involves overcoming both a physical addiction and an entire series of ingrained habits.

Muggle healers have discovered something very interesting.  A Muggle trying to overcome this habit will probably fail 4 TIMES before finally succeeding on the 5th try!!

The key to their eventual success lies in resolving not to stop trying!  And the same thing applies to the improved habits you'll be working on over the school year.  You may fail repeatedly at your goals, but don't let that discourage you.  Tomorrow will come, with a fresh chance to start again.

Now, let's get started!