In the journey to achieving optimal mental health, cultivating healthy habits is an invaluable tool. While life's demands may seem overwhelming at times, integrating positive practices into your daily routine can be tough, but transformative. In this blog post, we will explore the significance of healthy habits and provide actionable tips to help you build a strong foundation for lasting well-being.
Habits are driven by reward-seeking mechanisms in the brain. By making habits fun to repeat, you will set yourself up for success in ingraining healthy habits into your day to day life. In psychology, ‘temptation building’ is the idea that more probable behaviors will reinforce less probable behaviors. James Clear, in his book Atomic Habits, tells the story of a computer engineer who loved Netflix but hated exercising. To overcome this, the engineer wrote a computer program that would only allow Netflix to play if his exercise bike was cycling above a certain speed. By bundling habits that you dislike with the ones that you enjoy, you can use the principle of temptation building to motivate yourself to do those little day-to-day tasks that we don’t often feel like doing.
Another way to ensure that you are building healthy habits is setting specific, realistic, and achievable goals. Instead of saying “I am going to exercise more,” say to yourself “I will do 20 push-ups when I wake up in the morning.” By attaching a time and location, you can hold yourself accountable to your habit building. Realistic goals are essential for maintaining motivation and a sense of purpose. Break larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks, and celebrate each milestone along the way. Recognizing your achievements, no matter how small, reinforces a positive mindset and encourages further progress.
Habit setting inevitably comes with times where we don’t manage to hit the goal we’ve set for ourselves. When this happens, be kind to yourself and practice self-compassion. Accept that everyone has setbacks and challenges, and view them as opportunities for growth and learning. Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer a friend facing difficulties.
Building healthy habits is a transformative journey towards lasting well-being. Remember that forming habits takes time and patience, but the rewards are immeasurable. As you embrace these positive practices, know that we are here to support you every step of the way. Together, let's create a brighter and healthier future for your mental well-being.