Building Habits

I have always heard that if you wanted to form a habit, or break a habit, that you needed to repeat it 21 times. Then magically, it would become something you always did or stopped doing. I never quite understood why they said that or why that particular number, but if that's what it takes then I can do that. Of course, I can! Unfortunately, I either never made it the whole 21 days, or I did but the bad habits remain, and the good ones didn't form.

Now I have heard of another one, this one is called the 21\90 rule. Basically, it starts out the same way the other one does, but after you repeat the action 21 days (or stop doing it), then you go on and do it for another 90 days and the habit is firmly formed.

Don't get me wrong. I do understand that if you repeat something often enough it becomes second nature to do it, but why not just call the 21/90 rule the 111 rule. And instead of throwing numbers at us, why don't they say, just do the thing every day and eventually you will automatically do it every day, or not do it every day and so on.

I have been walking for the last 3 days, and I am hoping to form some good habits around this. Each day I increase the number of steps I want to take during the day. I started with 2000 steps, and then 4000, and today my goal is 5000. I know it doesnt sound like a lot but everyone has to start somewhere. I will form good habits around walking, and keeping track of my step count as well as the times when I am exercising intentionally.

Forming habits can be hard, but with the right motivation and a lot of self reminders, I can do this. And... if I can do it, so can you.

Maybe, we can do this together!

~Gina