Every single thing you do throughout the day on a regular basis are your habits. From the moment you wake up, whether you’re getting out of bed right away or hitting snooze for a few extra minutes of sleep, these are the actions you are in the habit of doing. Habits are built over time and consistent repetition.

If you’ve ever actively tried to get into a new habit, you know that sometimes this can be a challenge, and many people actually end up quitting after they lose their initial motivation. We want you to be successful the next time you decide you want to start incorporating a new habit into your life! That’s why today we will be sharing 5 effective tips on how to build habits that last a lifetime!

1. Have a strong reason

Being aware of the purpose behind your actions, the big picture, serves as a motivational force to accomplish different tasks throughout the day. When building new habits, it's important to have a good reason. If you can make the reason something that you can tie a strong emotion to, even better. We are most likely to accomplish things that we feel strongly about. If you are unmotivated one day, remind yourself of why you are adding this habit into your lifestyle. Use your end goal as motivation to take the smaller steps everyday. 

2. Plan on taking small steps to get there

Like a child learning to walk, small steps are essential to success when building habits that last. So, if there’s a habit that you want to build, start by breaking it down into the smallest, simplest step you could take. This will help you to be more successful at being consistent, and you can steadily level up, instead of trying to do everything at once. Here’s an example- If you want to start drinking 4 bottles of water daily, you will want to first set your daily habit to two water bottles daily, which sounds much easier than 4. Once two water bottles become a habit, you can increase to 3, then increase to hit your goal of 4. 

3. Set reminders

 A new habit is something that you aren't used to doing, so it's natural that it may slip your mind a time or two. Consistency is one key element to building habits, so make sure to set yourself up for success. Schedule your new habits into your daily calendar, or set an alarm on your phone as a reminder. 

4. Stay positive and never give up

 If you miss a day, don’t be hard on yourself. Progress doesn't usually happen in a straight line- there are bumps and setbacks along the road, and some days will be better than others. It’s important that you be supportive and speak kindly to yourself during the process. Give yourself the support you would give to a good friend. Remember that you are not aiming for perfection, but for progress. If you miss a day of practicing your new habit, remind yourself that its ok, and you will have another chance to try your best tomorrow. 

5. Find community and get involved

Get  involved with people who share similar interests and are doing the things you want to do. You will feed off their energy and become more motivated. This is especially important if none of your current friends or family practice the habits that you want to form. You’ll want to find people who you can talk to, who will be supportive. You can also learn from these people, and be inspired to try other new lifestyle changes more in alignment with the vision that you have for yourself. Involving yourself with others will also create a level of accountability to help you to stay on track with forming your new habits and making them a lasting part of your lifestyle!

For more information on creating lifestyle changes and forming new healthy habits, feel free to contact us via our website or send us an email at info@epitomefit.com!