Last Day of the First Month

     Today is the last day of the first month of your 2012 lifestyle. How are the small changes you made this month going? I had a win today at lunch. If you recall I made a small change to cut back on soda a month  ago. It lead to a bigger change to cut out soda altogether. Today was the big test. I took my son to lunch and as a matter of habit ordered a value meal at a fast food restaurant which came with an empty cup to fill. I had every intention of filling it with Dr. Pepper as I walked to soda fountain, after all it was between noon and four. But as I thought about the thick, syrup filling my cup from that soda fountain  I realized something. I really do not drink pop anymore. I selected unsweetened tea instead. It was light and refreshing although I only drank half of it and went back to my bottled water.
     Change takes time. To make a new behavior a habit
that becomes a part of your lifestyle you need to do it consistently for at least 21 days. Maybe during that period you will continually contemplate your old habits or struggle to maintain the new behavior. Expect it to get easier and more part of your routine after three weeks. Hang in there! It really does happen.
      One habit I formed was to empty the dishwasher before I leave for work. I used to have to remind myself that I wanted to do that. Now, when I walk in the kitchen every morning I automatically open the dishwasher door without thinking and start putting the clean dishes away. How many automatic habits do you have during the day? You have more than you think... some good, some not so good.
      Think about your automatic habits that are part of your routine. How many of them are beneficial? How many are counter-productive? Now on the last day of the first month of your new year's lifestyle, what counter productive habit did you change this month for a beneficial one? What counter productive habit do you want to replace next month?  Pick a counter productive habit and pick a beneficial behavior to replace it with starting tomorrow; the first day of the second month. It's a short month but repeat your new behavior every day this month and in 29 days you'll be reporting a new beneficial habit to add to your improving lifestyle!