Change Your Habits, Change Your Life
Welcome to the 30 Days to Better Habits challenge. This challenge was created by James Clear, author of Atomic Habits.
Over the next four weeks, you will learn the essential elements of creating and maintaining good habits.
There are all sorts of myths about how long it takes to build a new habit: 21 days, 30 days, 66 days. The truth is, there is nothing about time passing that magically forms a habit. Habits are created based on repetition and frequency, not by the clock ticking. The next 30 days can pass, and you can do something once, or you can do it 100 times.
Furthermore, the question, “How long does it take to build a new habit?” is the wrong question. The implicit assumption behind that question is: How long until it’s easy? How long until I don’t have to put in the effort anymore? How long until I no longer have to think about it?
But here’s the truth: The honest answer to “How long does it take to build a habit?” is: forever because once you’ve stopped doing it, it is no longer a habit.
Habits are not a finish line to be crossed; they’re a lifestyle to be lived. That’s why this email challenge and James Clear’s overall behavior change philosophy take a different approach. He teaches us a set of principles we can use to cultivate a new lifestyle, not a set of tasks we can sprint through during a 30-day challenge.
This challenge builds upon the ideas in his best-selling book, Atomic Habits. That said, you don’t need the book to complete the challenge successfully.
30 Days to Better Habits is designed to help you take action and offers accountability. This challenge will give you everything you need to take action immediately, but the work doesn’t stop four weeks from now. It’s not about working for 30 days, and then you’re done. But in the next four weeks, this challenge will set you on the path toward a new lifestyle filled with good habits.
The daily habits you repeat largely determine your health, wealth, and happiness.
Build the habit of working out three times per week, and you can get in the best shape of your life. Build the habit of saving $100 per month, and your savings can compound into a nest egg that gives you freedom and peace of mind. Build a gratitude or meditation habit, and you can handle whatever life throws at you with a clear mind and positive attitude.
Knowing how to change your habits means knowing how to own and manage your days confidently, focus on the behaviors that have the highest impact, and reverse-engineering the life you want.
I hope you're as excited as I am to get started. I'll have Lesson 1 coming your way on July 1.
What to expect next
This is a 30-day email challenge with 11 total emails. You'll receive an email every three days with a link to post in the group as your response. Please be active in the group.
See you on July 1 for lesson 1!
Julie
p.s. If you want to tell a friend about 30 Days to Better Habits, you can copy and paste this URL to send to them. If they are new to ZYF, their first two weeks is free. https://www.zoyoga.com/group/july-program-30-days-to-better-habits/discussion