Maybe you’re currently experiencing a unique opportunity to slow down (you’re in the midst of a job change, you’re stuck at home during a pandemic, you’re tight on cash, your relationship just ended, you’re healing from an injury, or you just made the decision to give yourself the gift of me-time. Or maybe you’re busier than ever and are realizing you need some of that coveted me-time.

Regardless of what the cause is…whether it's outside of your control or a conscious choice you’re making to take some time for yourself…having time to plan your next FIRST or BEST is not only healthy but also a great way to prepare for a significant step forward in your life.

Why do I say it’s significant? Let me answer you with a question.

Do you remember your first kiss?
How about the first time you made a sale?
Or the first time you rode a roller coaster or bungee jumped off a bridge?

Do you remember when you ran your fastest...

How many times have you tried to stop eating sugar? Or start exercising? Or spend less time on your phone? Or read more books? Or save money?  Or one of many other actions you label as good for you or more in alignment with who you want to be?

Why is it hard to create one good habit?
And why is quitting a bad habit so difficult?
To stop doing something we know doesn’t serve us should be easy, shouldn’t it?

Those are questions most of us have asked ourselves a time or two. One reason why this topic is so important is because it applies to us all.

When you understand your behavior, it becomes easier to change. There are a few key steps that’ll help you make or break habits, and understanding how a habit works in your brain is the first step.

A habit is something you’ve repeated enough times that it became ingrained in your neural pathways so that you do it without consciously thinking about doing it or how to do it.

The...

Changing a Bad Habit or Creating a Good Habit is a process. It’s not easy, but it is scientific and you can control it.

Here’s an overview of the process to change or create a habit with more explanation below.

• Figure out what the cue is
• Replace the bad habit behavior with a new one, and make sure there is some sort of reward for the new behavior
• Start small and take incremental steps (the rewards can be small too)
• Prime your environment
• Focus on habits that influence other habits

Figure out your cues

Do you walk into the kitchen when you’re bored or restless, and you find yourself reaching for a snack when you’re not even hungry? It could be that your cue is the feeling of being bored or restless or even the action of walking into the kitchen.

Implement a More Positive Behavior

Sometimes, simply swapping a behavior in an existing loop for a new one is easier than eliminating the loop all together. Instead of walking into the kitchen when...