Why I’m Obsessed with Building Good Habits (And Why I Suck at It)
Building good habits is, like, my white whale right now. I’m sitting in my cramped apartment in the US, surrounded by empty LaCroix cans and a yoga mat I swore I’d use daily. Spoiler: it’s been a decorative floor piece for weeks. I’m not some habit guru—honestly, I’m a hot mess half the time—but I’ve been trying to crack this habit thing for years, and I’ve got some hard-earned, slightly embarrassing stories to share. Like, seriously, who else has a “drink more water” app reminding them to hydrate while they chug their third coffee? Just me? Cool. Anyway, forming habits is tough, but I’m learning it’s less about perfection and more about showing up, even when you’re a disaster.
My Biggest Habit-Building Fails (And What They Taught Me)
Okay, let’s get real. I’ve flopped at building good habits more times than I can count. Last year, I decided I’d meditate every morning to, like, “find inner peace” or whatever. I downloaded this fancy app, lit a candle (which I promptly forgot about and almost set my curtain on fire), and sat cross-legged for exactly two days before I was like, “Nah, I’m good.” The candle’s still on my shelf, mocking me. But that fail taught me something: starting too big is a trap. Sticking to habits means starting stupidly small—like, “sit quietly for 30 seconds” small.
Another disaster? My attempt to journal daily. I bought this gorgeous leather notebook, thinking I’d be all poetic. Three pages in, I was scribbling grocery lists and doodling cats. Now, I just jot one sentence a day on a sticky note. It’s not Instagram-worthy, but it’s something. Maintaining habits is about finding what doesn’t make you wanna scream.
Tips from My Habit-Building Trainwrecks
- Start embarrassingly small: Like, “floss one tooth” small. Sounds dumb, but it works.
- Tie it to something you already do: I brush my teeth, then do five squats. Now my quads are slightly less pathetic.
- Forgive the flops: Miss a day? Whatever. Just keep going. Guilt is the enemy of forming habits.
The Sciencey Stuff I Stumbled Into While Building Good Habits
I’m no scientist, but I’ve read some stuff (okay, skimmed some articles) about why sticking to habits is so dang hard. Turns out, your brain loves shortcuts, and habits are like mental autopilot. There’s this thing called the habit loop—cue, routine, reward. For me, the cue is my morning coffee (non-negotiable), the routine is writing one sentence in my journal, and the reward is feeling like I’m not a total failure before 9 a.m. I found this explained in a super helpful article from James Clear’s website, which is basically the Bible for habit-building nerds like me.
But here’s where I mess up: I expect instant results. Newsflash—habits take, like, 66 days to stick, not 21 like that old myth says. I learned that from a Psychology Today piece that made me feel less like a loser for still struggling. Creating routines is a slog, but knowing it’s science, not just me being a flake, helps.
My Current Habit-Building Experiment (It’s a Mess, But It’s Mine)
Right now, I’m trying to build a habit of walking every evening. I live in this noisy US city where the sidewalks are cracked, and I’m dodging scooters and dog poop, but there’s this one park with a scraggly tree I’ve named Steve. I walk to Steve, take a deep breath, and feel like I’ve won at life. Some days, I only make it halfway before I’m distracted by a food truck (tacos are my kryptonite). But I’m sticking to it, mostly.
What’s helping? I track it on a cheap calendar with gold star stickers—yes, like a kindergartner. Seeing those stars (or empty days) keeps me honest. Also, I tell myself it’s okay to suck. Maintaining habits isn’t about being a robot; it’s about being a human who tries.
Wrapping Up This Habit-Building Rant
Look, building good habits is like trying to herd cats while riding a unicycle—it’s chaotic, and you’re gonna fall. But I’m learning that the trick is to keep it small, keep it real, and laugh at yourself when you inevitably screw up. I’m still a work in progress, sitting here with my sticky notes and my dreams of being a morning person. If I can make progress, so can you.
