When the new year hits, seems like all across our feeds most people’s resolution/motto is “new year, new me.” 

Which is fine. But… what if instead our motto was “new year, same me, but with some new focused habits to help enact change?” 

Okay so maybe it’s not as catchy, but my point is: instead of creating resolutions that encompass results without any systems to back it up (like “losing 15 lbs”, “never eating fast food”, or “giving up alcohol”), what if we added small habitual changes back in to promote the person we aspire to be? Notice how I mentioned adding in rather than taking away? That’s because small, habitual changes added to our day to day can really stack up to make a big difference in our overall lives. 

A habit, by definition, is a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up. So with that, the goal should be to add a new practice into your day to day that will, eventually, morph into a habit. Now hear me: this doesn’t mean you should start the new year by adding a ton of different habits to your routine. That’s where we can become overwhelmed and habits tend to fall off (just like all those New Year’s resolutions.) Instead, work on one habit at a time and, once you’ve mastered that, add another habit in. It may seem small and insignificant, but it’s the snowball effect. And by practicing a positive daily habit for yourself, stacked on top of each other over time, you can yield big changes. Some examples of small habits could be to: 

• Start each morning with 8oz of water
• End each day with 15 minutes of reading or meditating
• Map out 3-4 workouts for the week in your calendar
• Bring your lunch to work 4 out of 5 workdays
• Be in bed 9 hours before your alarm
• Using the hand method when making meals 

As James Clear in Atomic Habits quotes, “Changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound and turn into remarkable results if you’re willing to stick to them for years.” And, “With the same habits you’ll end up with the same results. But with better habits, anything is possible.”

Happy New Year, and happy habitting!