This is one of the reasons it’s so hard to break bad habits. They are comfortable, familiar, and often provide some sort of benefit. Instead, you need to replace a bad habit with a new habit that provides a similar benefit.

For example, if you smoke in order to relieve stress simply saying to yourself “I am going to quit smoking” probably won’t get you anywhere. Instead, you should come up with a different way to deal with stress and insert that new behavior instead of having a cigarette.

Whether that may be working out, reading, hanging out with friends, cooking, etc. You should aim to find a new healthy habit that can replace that need.

If you expect yourself to simply cut out bad habits without replacing them, then you’ll have certain needs that will be unmet and it’s going to be hard to stick to a routine of “just don’t do it” for very long.

So evaluate your bad habits, think about what’s causing them, and then search for new healthier habits that you can use to replace them.

Firstly, you should always aim to make steady, small changes. While you can have a bigger goal in mind, you should focus on small, consistent victories. Not only is this beneficial for psychological reasons, but it also makes it more likely that your healthy habits will stick.

So, begin with a victory you can define and which means something to you. For example, if your goal is to lose weight or eat healthier, think about little goals you can set and achieve in your daily life.

Start out by taking the stairs whenever you have the chance or walking for a few minutes each day. Try incorporating a vegetable into every meal or put your fork down halfway through your meal and ask yourself if you are full.

Over time, what seems like baby steps produce new physiological changes in every cell of the body. By consistently winning these small victories, you are retraining your brain.

After you feel comfortable with these small changes, you can start to incorporate bigger ones. Soon enough, you will find yourself doing these new healthy habits unconsciously.

All in all, the key to building healthy habits is to be patient, understand your bad habits, and go for the little victories. It’s okay if you falter along the way, as long as you always get back up and start again. Always remember that failure is normal and can help you learn and adapt so you can reach your goals.

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