Have you ever taken a step back and counted all your good habits? It’s a valuable exercise that can help boost your confidence and inspire positive feelings. In a lot of ways, it’s similar to gratitude journaling. First, be grateful for your good habits, and then work to create new ones.

1. Identify problem areas

The most productive place to start creating good habits is in replacing bad ones. For example, let’s say you’re drinking too much alcohol. Before you can replace that bad habit, you must admit that it’s an area of your life that needs to be changed. Accept you have a problem with addiction and plan your next steps. This step works for virtually any problem area. Stressed? Identify the causes of stress, and you can figure out how to eliminate them.

2. Brainstorm ideas to create good habits

If you don’t know how to replace your bad habits with good ones, that’s ok. It’s ok to ask for help. Talk to people you trust and come up with productive ideas. If you need help quitting a bad habit, this is the time to do so.

3. Pick a tangible goal

Maybe you plan to lose 10 pounds, exercise three times a week or to dedicate more hours to a passion project. It should be something that will take at least 10 weeks to accomplish. Experts say this is how long it takes to form new habits. Whatever your goal, be specific and write it down.

4. Don your positivity cap

Think about your good habits in terms of cans instead of cannots. Instead of focusing on the things you’ll have to give up to reach your goals and form healthy habits, think about the things you’ll gain. For example, if you’re eating healthier, you may gain energy,health, and confidence. This is the time to get excited about the good habits that are on the horizon!

5. Have patience with yourself

Once you start your goal, you’ll feel amazing. You’ll feel like you’re on top of the world on the first day of your new habit. Unfortunately, old habits die hard, and they will try to creep back into your life. Don’t let them! Understand that these feelings are natural and keep doing what you’re doing. If you falter a bit, don’t beat yourself up. Just pick yourself up and get back to that good habit.

6. Count the days

When you’re having trouble sticking to your new habits, remind yourself that it’s only 70 days out of your life. It may be even less if you’ve been at this for a while. After about 70 days, the things you’ve been doing to reach your goal should be habits instead of chores. After your initial 70 days, you’ll barely have to think about doing these things that are good for your body and mind. But you don’t have to think about any of that. For now, just focus on getting to the end of your goal.

We create good habits in the same way that we create bad ones. Remember, a habit is just something you’re doing. Why not spend your time doing things that are positive and productive? If you do, your thoughts will naturally shift to become more positive too!

Author’s Bio:

Trevor is a freelance writer and recovering addict & alcoholic who’s been clean and sober for over 5 years. Since his recovery began, he has enjoyed using his talent for words to help spread treatment resources and addiction awareness. In his free time, you can find him working with recovering addicts or outside enjoying about any type of fitness activity imaginable.

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good habits