Your Habits Can Make or Break You

Good habits, once established, are just as hard to break as are bad habits.
By: Robert Puller

There is a 21 day Form-A-Habit theory that says your brain circuits produce neuroconnections and neuropathways from memory traces within 21 days in a row. This means that you are only able to adapt a change in your daily routine after successfully repeating it for 21 consecutive days. Thus, habits are formed when an action is repeated frequently. New behaviors become automatic and what used to be difficult becomes ordinary.

Every habit you have defines your way of life. It is recommended that you always do a self-check. Are you spending your energy to something worthwhile or have you already been dragged to something you are not really happy about? Are there ways that you need to change? You have to be aware of what you are doing day after day. These things play a great role to your sense of fulfillment and level of happiness.

A bad habit usually manifests itself in your health condition. When your body feels abused by overdoing something, it reacts. Oftentimes, stress is caused by destructive habits people overlook. For instance, you have a habit of allowing negative thoughts to wallow in your mind and even forcefully imagining them, it should not be a wonder that you are feeling anxious all the time. On the other hand, people who have the habit of visualizing their dreams every morning are often cheerful amidst adversities.

The following are habit-formation guidelines that you need to know:

1. Set a goal. Know what you want. Visualize the habit in your head.

2. Make a specific list of the benefits of your new habit.

3. Commit to the habit. When you get all things set and prepared, check if you have the full heart to jumpstart it. Never start doing something without taking your heart into it. If you do things half-heartedly, you can't expect great results.

4. Baby steps count. Make sure you have divided your big goal into segments and reward yourself each time.

5. Start slowly. Choose to be consistent than being a showtime-performer.

6. Motivate yourself. Pick up a good habit and drop an unhealthy one like quitting smoking. Use a certain day, for example, Monday to recommit, if there are times you fall off track. You have 52 chances a year to get motivated to make a change in your life.

India Herbs is reaching out to our valued partners-in-health with our free Habit Formation Program. Register here and start a good habit or break a bad one!