Here’s How to Make Big Lifestyle Changes

Sometimes, it can feel like we’re bombarded with contradictory information in the modern world. There’s always pressure to change and improve, but then you also see people make sweeping statements like “diets don’t work” and hear a lot about self-acceptance. So, which is it? The truth is that only you can be the judge of what changes might benefit your life and whether you want to try to make them. Don’t listen to people who try to push you into changes that don’t interest you, but don’t assume that just because someone else couldn’t alter their life in the way they wanted, you can’t either.

Adjust Your Understanding of Willpower

When people talk about starting or quitting habits, they often talk about willpower. It’s usually accompanied by the word discipline, but what do either of those words really made? They make it sound like you can basically white knuckle your way into major lifestyle changes, but think about all the things that you do regularly. Let’s take brushing your teeth as an example.

Is this a fun or exciting experience? It’s not, but you do it because you don’t want to get cavities. Do you have to work hard to make yourself do it, constantly giving yourself pep talks and wondering why you just seem to lack the determination to do it regularly? You probably don’t. How could you make a new habit something that you just do instead of spending a lot of time thinking about doing it? There’s no single answer, but approaching the problem in this way can give you some insight.

Make it Pleasant

Another problem with framing change in terms of willpower and discipline is that it can make developing new habits or changing your life sound like a grueling ordeal. Instead, focus on how you can make introducing new habits pleasant. As an example, let’s say that you are trying to stop smoking altogether and use a vaporizer instead. As dry herb enthusiasts already know, you’ll get a more refined and cleaner experience with vaporizers than you ever did with smoke.

You can look over the selection online for an authorized reseller for major brands and choose the one that’s right for you. Suddenly, your decision not to smoke no longer looks like deprivation but instead has been replaced by something else enjoyable that you can look forward to. Whatever it is you are trying to introduce into your life or replace, strive to make it a positive experience instead of a negative one.

Ditch All or Nothing Thinking

Another reason people often try and fail to change is because they do not consider the likelihood that they will probably fall short some of the time. In other words, if you’ve decided that you are going to do something every day, like yoga, and you miss a day, you might then think that you’ve messed up your streak and get discouraged. However, there’s nothing magical about slipping up and returning to your old habits. In fact, it’s expected. All you have to do is pick up where you left off. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that if you aren’t perfect all the time, there’s no point in trying to change.