Quick wins for lasting habits

6th October is world habits day and whilst the rest of us are slowing down, and nature is letting go....... the red deer is only getting started.  It's mating season and these grand stags will go to any length to protect their herd and ward of challengers!  Habit or survival instinct?

Some of our habits have been developed out of our need to survive and these are the ones that are so deeply entrenched, that we never think to question their truth. That's a topic for another day, because today we're tackling building new habits.

In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear makes one thing really clear: when it comes to forming new habits, it’s about little and often. I've noticed when I drive somewhere new that it takes as little as 3 or 4 repetitions before my brain starts to recognise landmarks and I can think about turning satellite navigation off.  It's not long is it? yet many of us still struggle to build new habits. The first challenge we have is actually making a habit realistic.  In our obsession to achieve, we often set ourselves impossible targets that either fill us with dread or leave us feeling totally despondent when we can't live up to our own loft expectations.  So here's three things to consider:

1. Start small and celebrate the little wins.  This elevates our reward hormone and makes the habit attractive to the brain so its easier to grow and develop it.
2. Make it sticky! In the words of Hebb, also known as the father of neuropsychology, what fires together wires together. We can use this natural phenomena to our advantage.Link your new habit to something you already do.  If  you want to drink more water whilst you're sat at your desk, fill your water bottle whilst the kettle is boiling for your morning cuppa.  It won't be long before filling the kettle is automatically linked to filling your water bottle. Be curious about how many times you do it before the body links the two!
3. Practice celebrating your new habit rather than focusing on the times you might miss it.  This will strengthen our focus on the positive rather than the negative.

Most of all have fun and enjoy building new habits.