Simple Strategies to Change Your Habits

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
– Mahatma Gandhi
A large proportion of our daily actions are habits: routines that we’ve formed over a lifetime. It’s estimated that about 40% of people’s daily activities are habits. Some habits serve a positive purpose- such as locking the door when you leave the house, speaking with pleasantries during a phone conversation, or letting the dog out when he sits by the back door.
Most of us, however, have habits that we wish we could break. Many of which, revolve around food. Examples may be having something sweet in the afternoon to get you out of an energy slump, snacking at night when you’re not hungry, or rewarding yourself with a second helping of dinner after a stressful day at work.
Habits, especially bad habits, are difficult to break. Breaking a habit takes a tremendous amount of willpower, and willpower is a limited resource. It’s highest in the morning after a restful nights rest, is easily eroded by stress, fatigue, anxiety, happiness, or pretty much any emotion or situation. It wavers when someone offers you a piece of chocolate, and admits defeat at the smell of fresh baked pie. It may put up a good fight at breakfast time; after all, most people find it relatively easy to say no to chocolate cake at 7am. But even on a good day, you may find your willpower levels are pretty low by 3 or 4 in the afternoon. It leaves you vulnerable to the breadbasket at dinner, the handfuls of cereal after supper, or the chips after the kids are in bed.