Creating New Habits

Creating new habits is never easy to do.

I recently read something about how putting your willpower to work rarely works because so many of us lack it--thus, the new way to change into the new you, is to change your habits.

SOOO much easier said than done.

My old roommate and I used to sit on Sundays and talk all day long. I remember one particularly interesting conversation we had that was centered on the idea of habits.

Most likely it was about our dual smoking habit which--I don't know if she's still doing, but which I still do--and don't completely care about stopping.  (I know, I know, I should!)

But we talked about triggers, we talked about motivation, we talked about consequence, we talked about choice.  We ruminated on how difficult it was to start a new habit and what kind of preparation went into it, mental and physical and we also discussed how hard it was to make one stick.  Especially if the gains weren't immediately abundant and feel-good.

For example, smoking or going to the gym.  What is it about those two things were so hard to stop...and start?

We both had stopped smoking for certain periods of time--she had way more self- control/ discipline than I ever did, but we knew that we felt better, cleaner, healthier when we stopped smoking, but always, we would return to our habit.

Why?

Stress? Comfort? Sport? Fun?  I think all of the above.  We truly enjoyed smoking and especially together on a Sunday afternoon--so that was a habit that didn't stick.  The fact that we could die from it or contract a horrible and painful disease, did not seem to factor into our sense of satisfaction and instant gratification.

As for the gym.  We would each go periodically to the gym and come back fresh faced and 'glowy.'  We would proclaim how good it felt and how we were definitely going to make it into a regular habit, but come to know, a month later, neither one of us had gone more often than we had before.

Why?

Going to the gym in NYC always seemed like such a hassle to me.  I think that was really my problem with creating the habit.  I was always so tired.  I never liked the classes.  It was out of the way.  The people weren't that nice.  Etc.Etc.

Whereas, here, in Williston, that is something that I have returned to with some success-- hooray--I have been able to make it to my gym relatively regularly whenever I am up here.

Why?

It's easy to get to in a car, I like the classes that are on offer, the instructors aren't awesome as in super-friendly, but they are competent at what they do, the people, in general who go to the gym are nice and I like that everyone smiles at one another instead of studiously looking away.

So, is that the answer to creating new habits?  That it makes you feel good and is convenient?  That there are close and long ranging benefits?

I think for me, that must be it.  I like convenience.  I like results and I like to feel immediate gratification.  Thus, the magical recipe for creating new habits!