Is there a habit or behavior you would like to change?
There is room in all of our lives to say goodbye to a limiting habit and adopt a new and healthier one. Yet making and keeping a commitment can be challenging. Stepping up to the plate to create real change takes more than just courage. It takes consistency, realism, support, and a willingness to discover the underlying issues. These 21 tips will help you reinvent your life with more zest and create new habits that will last.
Stop Punishing Yourself
Don’t beat yourself up for having unhealthy habits. Guilt and shame are poor motivators. Instead, congratulate yourself for recognizing the need to change and wanting to improve.
Take Control of Your Thoughts
Your thoughts are powerful tools for reinventing your world. Choose the thoughts you will focus on. As you notice negative thoughts telling you it’s too hard to change, gently redirect them, as many times as it takes, to the positive track of “I can do this.”
Challenge Limiting Beliefs from the Past
Beware of your old conditioning and limitations that family or friends may have imposed on you. A wonderful world of total possibility surrounds you. Your goals are more achievable when you believe they are.
Make Commitments and Keep Them
There is only one constant in your life and in every plan you make: you.
You must be able to rely on yourself totally to see your plans through to success. When you follow through on your commitments, you will also gain the respect of others.
Write Down Your Intention and Focus on it Every Day
To stay focused on your new choices, clearly and concisely write down exactly what you want your new behavior to look like. Carry a copy of that statement with you and tape it on objects like your mirror, the ceiling over your bed, the dashboard of your car, your desk or schoolbooks. Keep your new goals front and center.
Observe Your Attitude
Your attitude plays a huge role in your success. Are you determined and excited about moving ahead with your new goal, or are you resentful and easily demoralized? Are you eager to be on this new path of self-development, or do you see this as an overwhelming chore? The more you face the task with anticipation, expecting a good result, the more successful you will be.
Seek the Right Kind of Support
The help and encouragement of a buddy, mentor, or professional can go a long way — as long as they believe in you and your goal 100 per cent. Choose friends and mentors who will never tear you down but always cheer you on.
Create Your Own Affirmations
Reinforce your desires, goals, and commitments by creating a short, inspiring statement that is positive and captures the feeling of well-being you want to achieve from your new habit. Throughout the day, say your affirmation aloud with exuberance. As you do, be sure to deeply feel what you are saying as being true for you.
