It’s never too late for a new beginning, and a new year is the best time to develop new habits. Not only do new years offer an opportunity for self-reflection and resolutions, but they provide a whole world that is participating in the same process. That means more open doors, more opportunities for sharing ideas, and more career paths becoming available.
New years are also a great time for eliminating bad habits. This means eliminating triggers, visualizing success, and surrounding yourself with people who want to live the way you want to live.
Eliminating Triggers
Trying to lose weight, but you’ve got a weakness for junk food? Keep junk food out of the house! Next step? Replace it with better options.
Support Systems
Whether it’s a partner in “change” who can help keep you accountable — and vice versa — or a community of like-minded people, it’s so important to have people in your life who want to see you change and succeed…and who want to help, too!
Visualizing Success
When you see yourself succeeding, you are helping your brain remain strong and focused. Keep picturing yourself tossing out those cigarettes and smiling, feeling healthier, and never looking back.
So, what’s the best way to eliminate a bad habit?
By replacing it with a new one, of course! You know the saying: Out with the old, in with the new? It sounds easy enough, but it can be challenging. That’s why it’s a good idea to start small…
Commit to a Realistic Pace
Everyone wants to jump to the finish line, but life isn’t that easy. If you want to run 5 miles a day, don’t try to go from 2 to 5. You’ll likely fail and lose motivation. Go from 2 to 2.5, and so on. This will help you build your habit while you build your motivation.
Start Small
Having the willpower to change is like building a muscle. You’ve got to start with weight that you can handle before you’re ready for more. Want to be stronger in 2024? Start with a goal that doesn’t sound daunting so that you can keep your motivation for tomorrow. Ten pushups today will become 50 per day before you know it.
Be Patient
Building new habits is not a perfect process. You’ll probably fail from time to time, and that’s okay! This doesn’t mean you should expect to fail, but you should plan for how you’ll react if you do fail. Do you have a weekly appointment that interferes with your exercise plan? Make that your recovery day! Forget perfection. Strive for consistency.
Resolutions might not be for you, but the new year is still a good time to think about and follow through on the long-term changes you’d like to see in your life. If your goals are to get healthier, help your community, and start a reliable career, you should consider working at MDC to fulfill your goals to make 2024 a great year!