Creating Good Habits

Creating good habits can feel daunting. Getting overwhelmed when trying to make changes in your lifestyle is completely normal. However, there are some things we can do to create good habits in the place of bad ones.

The fact is, that the things we do a good many times over leave some sort of impression in the very substance of our brain; and this impression, the more often repeated, makes it the easier for us to do the thing the next time.

Charlotte Mason

Habits, both good and bad, become so ingrained we do them without thinking. We don’t stop to make a decision on which side of the bed to get out of in the morning. We just do it. It’s a habit.

3 ways to help you in creating good habits:

Break it into bite sized pieces

Focusing on creating one habit at a time allows us to ingrain that habit into our lifestyle without having to stop and make a decision each and every time.

I am currently in the process of making some lifestyle changes to be healthier. I knew I needed to start exercising, drinking more water, eating healthier foods, etc. However, I would literally freeze up just thinking about doing all of that at one time. It was too much!

I knew I needed to cut back on sugar, but cutting it completely out of my diet at one time…ain’t happening. So, I started with drinking one glass of water in the morning before allowing myself any sweet tea (I’m a southern girl, you know). After a few weeks, I reach for the water pitcher rather than the tea pitcher without even thinking. I’ve now moved on to lowering the sugar in my sweet tea. Baby steps, people. Baby steps.

Write it down

My morning routine consists of getting up, getting dressed for the day, making my bed, and spending a few minutes quietly reading in my bedroom. I have done this same routine enough, I no longer think what to do next or have to write it on my to-do list. (Yes, I used to even write getting dressed on my to-do list!)

This summer I wanted to get in the habit of doing certain chores each morning before moving on to the rest of the day. Mainly I wanted to clean the kitchen, get anything picked up from the evening before, and sweep the living room and kitchen – the dog hair was driving me insane!

I wrote each thing down in my morning block on my daily schedule EVERY weekday morning. One day I realized I was doing all these things before going to my planner and planning out my day. By writing it down and following my self-described schedule, I had created a new good habit.

Be true to yourself

I have tried for years to get in the habit of exercising on a regular basis. However, I have also tried to do this based on someone else’s prescribed agenda on when and how I should exercise. It didn’t work. Imagine that!

Knowing I really needed to start exercising regularly, I thought long and hard about a schedule. I have always tried to exercise in the morning and failed every time. Why did I always fail?

I woke up one morning realizing, I like my mornings slow and quiet. I don’t want to take the time to go somewhere, exercise, and then have to get back home, shower, and get on with my day. In addition, after I exercise and shower, I’m pretty much done. I just want to chill. Yes, I know I’m weird.

I have been working out at home for about 8 weeks now. I work out in my room around 8pm 2-3 nights a week. Fridays are sometimes hiking days if we have a field trip to a state park, so I will count that as one of my workout days. I get a shower after working out, and then settle in to watch some TV with my hubby. Since I stopped trying to fit into someone else’s idea, I found a system that works for me. I have lost 10″ so far, so something is working!

Creating good habits is a lifetime goal.

As we go through different seasons of life, new habits will be needed to replace old ones. Good habits are needed to replace bad ones. As well as, good habits are needed to adjust for life’s changes.

It is pleasant to know that, even in mature life, it is possible by a little persistent effort to acquire a desirable habit.

Charlotte Mason

When you are working on creating good habits for this season in your own life, bite off small pieces, write it down, and be true to who you are. You will get to where you need to be. I promise!

In His Grace,

Misty

My own resources for creating good habits

Laying Down the Rails for Yourself by Sonya Shafer

Productivity Boot Camp by Jordan Page*

*You can watch Jordan Page explain her block scheduling system on her YouTube channel without paying for the Boot Camp. Boot Camp is a more in-depth course.

Other posts you may enjoy

Charlotte Mason: A Slow Journey Forward

Create a Morning Routine that Sticks

The Lord Spoke But Did Not Answer