Imagine this scenario: You have a bad habit of forgetting to turn off the stove before you leave the house. There you are, out and about, socializing with friends, when all of a sudden, the realization hits: Did you turn the cooktop off?!
In your mind, you can see your home going up in a scorching blaze of flames, along with your belongings and everything that made your home wonderful. You’re caught in the crossfire of debating whether to turn back or spend the next few hours worrying. You can imagine the fierce orange flames roaring skyward, charring everything to cinders!
“Can I remember turning it off?” you ask yourself. This story, recently related to me, serves as a great reminder of how useful a good habit can be! Habits are powerful things, whether good or bad.
The Power of Habits
A large number of the hundreds of decisions we make each day are the result of habits. We wash our face, eat breakfast, and prepare for the day mostly out of habit.
But why is that? Because a good habit makes life so much easier! They simplify life, transforming once cumbersome tasks into automatic, seamless activities. We don’t really have to think about them; we just do them. Good habits relieve the burden of decision-making and create a framework where your actions become second nature.
They can bring steady change and ensure that desired transformations take root. In essence, habits become the silent architects of an improved life.
Health and Habits
When you think about it, many of our habits revolve around health. Brushing our teeth, exercising, washing our hands, covering our mouth when we sneeze, and numerous other activities are habits. Health is something we know is worth the effort. Solid health habits are powerful agents, constructing a foundation of well-being effortlessly. They simplify the journey to well-being, ensuring that self-care is woven seamlessly into our everyday existence.
The Science Behind Habit Formation
In a process known as neuroplasticity, building a habit triggers our brain to forge new neural pathways. Being consistent with our habit establishes a resilient structure, where these pathways grow stronger and soon become the default pathway. It becomes easier to choose wellness-oriented decisions, fostering a natural and sustainable commitment to health. Before you know it, you’re getting healthier and happier without feeling like you’re making huge efforts. In essence, adopting healthy habits is a rewiring of the brain that paves the way for lasting, positive change.
Connecting with Nature
Having the right healthy habits can put one on a path to optimal health, making wellness an intuitive and simple part of daily life. Building a habit of connecting with nature is an ideal example of this. It is natural and easy, and the benefits are broad: bringing calmness, clarity, balance, focus, grounding, and better function and performance. It is increasingly being seen as a fundamental aspect of good mental health and a vital part of a happy life.
Building Habits with Support
- Support Systems: A good support system is vital. Having the tools, guidance, and encouragement behind you makes all the difference when establishing a new habit. Good support reinforces the habit, provides accountability and guidance, and fosters a sense of community.
- Time to Build a Habit: Opinions vary on how long it takes to build a habit. The saying “it takes 21 days to build a habit” is a common phrase, while others expand with the 21/90 rule, saying it takes 21 days to build a habit and 90 days to make it a permanent lifestyle change.
- Motivation: Habits themselves are great motivators. Studies show that one of the highest motivators for reaching a goal is the very habits set up to reach that goal. The habits motivate us even more than the actual goal itself!
In the search for a best possible life there are few better things you can do than to build solid habits. They are powerful agents, laying a sound foundation for a great life.
Health professionals now broadly accept and advocate for connecting with nature as one of the better moves we can make for calmness, clarity and well-being. Establishing a strong habit of doing this puts you firmly on a path to a better quality of life.