Your life today is essentially the sum of your habits…. good or bad.
What you repeatedly do, your thoughts and actions each and every day ultimately forms the person you are today!
Yep!!
The things you believe, and the personality that you portray… habits
How in shape or out of shape you are…. habits.
How happy or unhappy you are… habits.
How successful or unsuccessful you are… habits.
The state of your finances…. you got it…. habits
But I believe firmly that it’s never too late to change because where there’s life there is hope.
Yes…
Change is hard and, although wishing is comforting, real work is required.
Self-discipline and the ability to intentionally create healthy habits is perhaps one of life’s most valuable skills.
Your future self will thank you.
So buckle up and tighten your bootstraps because….
Here are 7 steps to start and maintain good habits…
- Desire – without it you’ll give up as soon as the going gets tough. You must be motivated so it’s important to start with a strong desire… your WHY.
- Decide – don’t wait to start. Don’t procrastinate. You will never slide into good habits. You must cultivate them and the best time to start is now. “One of these days” will never come. Once you have the desire, the best time to start is now….not tomorrow.
- Declare – announce your intention to your family. Making financial changes will require the commitment and cooperation of your spouse/partner and family. It’s also very important to write it down. Making it fun will add fuel to your fire.
- Determine – lapses will be detrimental to your journey. They say it takes 21 days to form a new habit, so the first 3 weeks will be crucial for your success. And it will take another 3-4 weeks of doing it consistently for it to become a part of your life. Don’t give in to the temptation of “just this once.” It will weaken your resolve and reinforce your lack of self-control.
- Do it already! – just do it. You have the desire, you understand the value and you yearn for the reward. So just do it!
- Double up – get an accountability partner who will support and encourage you…. especially in the early days.
- Devise a plan – spoiler alert… you will be challenged, tempted and discouraged on your journey so it’s important to have a plan in place to boost your morale during those down moments. Reward yourself for each accomplishment. If it was easy, you wouldn’t be here in the first place.
Many times we start out with good intentions and a strong desire to develop healthy habits only to slip back into our old, bad-habit ways.
Because it gets hard or feel hard or looks impossible…. so many reasons.
New behaviors take time and, if you hang in there, pretty soon you’ll no longer need willpower because it will be ingrained in you.
Humans are creatures of habit. If you quit when things get tough, it gets that much easier to quit the next time. On the other hand, if you force yourself to push through it, the grit begins to grow in you. – Travis Bradberry
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Until next time…..
Agree or disagree? I love your comments! So please let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.
I look forward to hearing from you!!!
Althea
Helping God’s people realize and achieve their true financial potential, become debt-free, build wealth and give generously!!
PS. Financially, most of us know what to do; we just have trouble doing it. That’s where a coach can help. CONTACT ME for a FREE 15-minute consult.
