5 Tips for Getting Back on Track When Old Habits Take Over

When it comes to resolutions or goals most of us tend to adopt an ‘all or nothing’ approach. And, if we trip up, we can sometimes feel like giving up altogether - but I promise that if you stick with it, it always gets easier... 

I've read that it can take anything from 30-60 days to create a new habit and so it’s no wonder that the first days are the ones that test us the most! If your faith in yourself is slipping a little and you’ve been finding old habits creeping back into your daily life then here’s a note of the things that always help me get back on track...

FIND THE LESSON 
It’s said that a mistake is only a mistake if you don’t learn from it. I love that. If you’ve slipped back into old habits and are struggling to make the change you want then take a moment to think about what didn’t work out. And why it didn’t. Maybe your stress levels increased and you made some bad food choices or maybe you hadn’t slept well and so didn’t have the resolve you needed? How can you stop the same pattern from happening again? Make a note of the things that might have helped you to stick to your new habits so that next time you have a plan of action to follow. 

SHOW COMPASSION 
We all make mistakes, we’re human! And so don’t be too hard on yourself for not achieving perfection. Show yourself some compassion and think about why you set your intention or goal in the first place. Remember how much it means to you and why you want to achieve it. Be kind to yourself and resolve to get back on track as soon as you can.  

ASK FOR HELP
It helps to have a plan for those days when your own self encouragement and love hits a low point, because that happens to us all. Find a friend or online community that can step in and offer you the support you need. Try sharing your intentions with a loved one or friend and be each other’s support and accountability partners - and if you share similar goals like getting outdoors more or eating a cleaner diet then you can encourage each other along the way. Remember that a facebook group full of like minded women can be just as supportive and so have a look around and jump in - you don’t have to make these changes all alone!   

START OVER 
If you slip up, start over - it’s really that simple. Don’t spend time berating yourself. Just make sure that you don’t put off starting over, you don’t need a new day or a Monday to turn a new page. Refocus your energy, dig deep for some determination and move forward.  

CREATE MOTIVATION   
When your motivation hits rock bottom, don’t try looking for it - it’s a waste of energy - what you need to do is create motivation. And the easiest way to do that is to commit to one small action, it can be the smallest thing BUT you have to do it right away. Put on your workout clothes, drink a glass of water, walk around the block, write in your planner, you get the idea...start small and once you’ve got started you’ll feel a little more motivated to carry on. Believe me, this works every time!

Need a little help sticking to your new habits? Then here’s my 30 day printable habit tracker, print yourself a copy, set yourself a goal and celebrate every one of those days that you check off. 

AUTHOR: LEANNA DOOLIN

Co – Founder of holistic skincare brand, Pure Thoughts and advocate for women finding pause in their day to breathe deeply, give thanks and reconnect to what matters. Loves early mornings, dogs and books that you can’t put down.