30 Days to Make or Break a Habit

Did you know it takes 30 days to make or break a habit?  Some of us have bad habits (think biting your fingernails or picking at your face/skin/scabs, etc.) that need to be broken while some of us have good habits we’d like to start.  A couple years ago, I only flossed right before going to the dentist, only because I didn’t want to get chastised for not having done it (and yes, my gums bled and they knew anyways).  So I vowed that I would start flossing and continue even after going to the dentist.  But it never stuck.  I’d do it for a couple days, then I’d get bored and would forget until the next time I went to the dentist.  Until a summer or two ago.  I read this awesome article about how it takes 30 days to make or break a habit.  I decided that I would try it.  I was a little skeptical…I had never stuck with it before.  But I tried it…and sure enough, to this day, I still floss every day.  The trick with doing this, however, is that you should only focus on one habit at a time.  More than that becomes overwhelming.  In reality, you can truly only focus on one thing at at time, so why stress yourself out trying to do more than that.  Besides, you can re-start this process every 30 days!!  And with doing it for 30 days, it gives you enough time to make it something you do without even thinking about it.  It honestly becomes a habit!!

What’s one thing that you’d like to work on over the next 30 days?  I mean, here we are, about to start 2015…let’s start it on a high note.  Do you want to set aside 30 minutes a day for self-care/love?  Do you want to start reading more?  Do you want to add in a daily exercise routine? Do you want to start going to bed earlier?  What about bad habits you want to break?  Do you want to quit smoking?  Do you want to stop biting your nails?  Do you want to stop complaining?

I know one of the big things that I do is complain.  I try not to, but it just creeps back in.  I have to really pay attention to what I’m saying every time I speak because the complaints kind of creep back in slowly but surely.  And the truth is I have an amazing life.  I have absolutely nothing to complain about.  Yes, I have bad moments/days, but that doesn’t mean my life is horrible.  I have a beautiful life full of wonderful people and I don’t want for anything (for the most part).  So my 30 day habit I’d like to break is to stop complaining.  It’s going to take a bit of work, but it’s what I want to focus on.

Let me know yours for the start of another beautiful year!  2015 is going to be amazing…there will be a lot of changes…but I’m so looking forward to it!

With love and wellness,

Whitney