How do you make positive changes for yourself that will last on a daily basis?
I read that it takes 3 weeks to form a new habit, so until then you just have to force yourself to make the effort. Maybe put up pictures or notes to remind yourself of the positive effects of your goal.
I write down my goals. Then I try to think of small steps that I can take to accomplish the goal. I focus on those small steps and mastering those small steps. If I only think about the end goal, sometimes I can get easily frustrated and give up. The small steps make it easier to form a new habbit. I try to focus for at least a month on each step and sometimes longer until I can reach the end goal. I also keep a record of my progress and my feelings about the progress I have made so I can see when I have the most trouble with making the change. If something in my plan isn't working how I thought it might, I try to come up with a new way to reach that goal. I also double the time on how long I expect to reach the goal, but set my small steps time frame for accomplishing my goal in the original amount of time I wanted to reach the goal. Then I have some cushion for those minor setbacks in the road to reaching my goal. I try to recognize my effort each day for doing something to get closer to my goal. I usually put a smiley face on my calendar when I finished that step for the day. Then I try to collect those smiley faces. When I reach a certain number of smiley faces, I give myself a one day break or some other kind of reward for getting a step closer to my goal. As I get better at each step, I might increase the number of smiley faces I need to get closer to that small reward. If I am getting easily discouraged with my result, I might decrease the number of smiley faces I need to get to the next point. I reflect daily on what I have accomplished, as well as doing a weekly check, and make adjustments in my plan. I started trying to make positive changes in my life following this method a few years ago. I have made great progress so far. Praying daily for strength to make those changes has also helped me alot in keeping my motivation up.
For me, it helped to have an accountability partner.
