It’s probably safe to say that virtually all of us have made a New Year’s resolution with the best intentions, only to give up on whatever change we’d intended to make before the end of January.
Habits serve a purpose. They’re a mental shortcut. They can save us the time it takes to make a decision and follow through. For instance, this morning you probably picked up your toothbrush and loaded it with paste almost without thinking about it.
That said, it can be nearly as notoriously difficult to adopt a new healthy habit and stick with it as it is to break one that we know isn’t good for us.
Still, there are some relatively simple strategies that can improve the likelihood you’ll succeed when you try to make a lasting change in your lifestyle.
You can find out more in the wellbeing feature I wrote for Good Times‘ December 2021 issue: ‘How to Break—or Create—a Habit’.
A big thank-you to the interviewees and experts who so kindly shared their time, stories and wisdom:
- Shawn Adamsson of London, Ont.
- Colleen Cannon, registered psychologist with Craving Change Inc., in Calgary.
- Andrea Holwegner, a registered dietitian and CEO of Health Stand Nutrition Consulting Inc. in Calgary.
- Michelle Sorensen, clinical psychologist and founder of the Resiliency Clinic in Nepean, Ont.
Photo by Prophsee Journals Courtesy of Unsplash