We are all in process, and striving for personal improvement is what keeps us moving towards the best version of ourselves. Whether it’s to lose weight, become more organized or improve relationships, progress comes down to new habits.
It’s much easier to conceptualize the new habit and make a plan than to follow through for the long term. Things get in the way, such as sickness, life changes and increased stress and we can easily give up on our new habits if we see ourselves as failing at them. This is why it is important to celebrate our progress, if we only focus on how something got in the way today and forget to remember we were and are capable of success, our motivation will be lost.
When it comes to making changes in our lives it is important to pick one thing to change at a time. If we decide we’re going to quit smoking, change our diet and begin exercising all at one time, it will feel overwhelming and impossible when you really get into. Picking one thing to focus on allows us to create a plan that we can stick to. For example, maybe you first focus on quitting smoking, since this change will help you in the next habit you chose to change, which might be to start exercising and once you start exercising you might find increased motivation to feed your body well.
Whatever habit you’re looking to begin or change, you must hold yourself accountable in order to stay focused. For many people writing down their intention and why they want to make this change helps bring the motivation back when it seems to be lacking.
It’s also important to remember that success is not equivalent to perfection, no one is perfect all of the time and having a bump in the road should be expected. By expecting to have bumps in the road, you can then plan for them and how to return to your new habit.