Picture this: You’re making a trip to the supermarket, kids in tow, cell phone ringing, a lot on your mind. Though you had great intentions, in the midst of the craziness, you forgot your reusable shopping bags in the car. It’s just this one time though, and will never happen again. False. You are probably in the habit of using the store’s plastic bags and thus commonly forget your reusable ones…it will happen again, but it does not have to.
Habits. Everyone has them. Whether you bite your nails, stress eat, leaving your towel on the floor after you shower, I am sure there is a behavior you would like to change or get rid of…so why don’t you? Most likely it is because you do not know how, you think your habits are impossible to break, or you think they will take too long to break. That’s where you’re wrong. According to recent research it takes around 21 days to form a new, or break an old, habit. Of course, not everyone is alike, and it might take some people a bit more time, and others less time. Still, 21 days is no time – that’s three weeks, less time than the time in between your monthly cell phone payments, and I know that doesn’t seem long at all.
Breaking habits can be easier and less time consuming than you think. If I forget to bring my reusable bags to the store, I “punish” myself by either going back out to the car to get them, or limiting what I buy so that I can carry my items out in my arms without using any bags or the cart. In three week’s time it will be a habit for me to bring my reusable bags into the store. Heck, I’ll be bringing them into places where I don’t even need them! Though this is just one example, this concept can truly apply to anything. Whatever bad habit you want to kick, or good habit you want to form, do not be hesitant to start. After all, 21 days is no time at all to change your life.
