Have you ever thought about creating a new habit because of life changes? What about trying to be consistent with that habit daily?
In short, habits can lead us to success or be a hindrance. Naturally, we tend to form patterns and go by a routine throughout our day.
But what if you want to change that daily routine? There have been many debates on how long it takes for one to form a habit.
A quick Google search may tell you 21 days or more. Whatever that number is we’ll find out that it’s possible to do so and the timeframe to achieve your goals.
My goal for this post isn’t to debate the time but rather to provide you with the tools to build new habits. There’s more to habit formation than ‘how long’ but no worries I’ll give you my thoughts on that.

What is a Habit?
We can’t go any further unless we understand what a habit is. According to BYU Pathway Worldwide, “Habits are routines that you have learned so well that they are permanently stored in your memory waiting for the right trigger or cue to activate it.”
Habits are defined as behavior that is regularly repeated, often unconsciously. This pattern of behaviors becomes ingrained in our daily lives through repetition and consistency.
The problem with this is that habits can be either negative or positive.
Some examples of simple actions that have now become a part of us are brushing our teeth before bed. To even more complex things like exercising or walking our dogs.
Habits are life-changing! They have the power to influence our thoughts, actions, and the quality of our lives.
Now you know the meaning of habits and how to create them. Start cultivating positive habits that align with your values and aspirations.
Routines vs Habits
It’s easy to get these two mixed up. But, they are completely different.
For instance, routine is a sequence of actions that you perform regularly in a specific order. While habits are behaviors or actions that are often automatic and repeated regularly.
Routines are the foundation of building habits. Having a routine provides a structure for you to be consistent.
To make this clearer, routines are more intentional and purposeful. While habits tend to be more unconscious and reflexive.
Are you looking to create lasting change in your life? Then let’s focus on building habits rather than simply sticking to routines.
So Is the ‘21 days’ to form a habit a myth
This is the big question! As stated earlier, there is a belief that it takes 21 days to form a habit. However, there have been various research that may say differently or upright a myth.
Don’t get me wrong. Twenty-one days can be a good starting point for forming a habit. But the truth is that the time it may take to form a habit varies from person to person.
Factors to keep in mind are one’s motivation, complexity of the habit, and consistency.
How Long Does It Take To Form A Habit?
According to this study, it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit. So the takeaway is not to be fixated on a specific timeframe.
Most importantly, focus on consistency and persistence to develop lasting habits.
How To Build New Habits?
Building a new habit is a journey that requires patience and consistency. The key to successfully integrating a new habit into your daily life is to start small and gradually increase the intensity over time.
It’s important to set clear and achievable goals.
Start by surrounding yourself with a supportive environment. Establishing accountability can greatly aid in developing a new habit. Remember, repetition is key!
It takes an average of 66 days for a behavior to become automatic, based on research.
So, stay committed and focused on your goal! And before you know it, your new habit will become a natural part of your routine.
Top Healthy Habits For A Successful Life

Here are some examples of the best habits that are simple and will benefit your well-being.
For Physical Health:
- Exercise Routine – Do at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity for at least 4 days of the week. This could be walking, dancing, or even swimming. Choose something that you like! It’s all about being consistent.
- Eating Healthy: Try eating more fruits and veggies, and lean protein. Start cooking more at home and reduce processed food.
- Drink 8 glasses of water or more.
- Get 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night: If you want to create the perfect bedtime routine, check out this detailed post.
- Limit screen time: Start by taking breaks from social media and putting away devices before bed or when spending time with family.
For Emotional Wellbeing:
- Practice mindfulness: This could be meditation, deep breathing or just spending time in nature. Set time aside to do this. For me, I love meditating in the morning or before I go to bed. Helps so much with destressing and mental health!
- Having family time: When last did you spend some quality time with your family?
- Be grateful: Spend time each day to thank God for his goodness and be appreciative of life.
- Think Positively: How often do you have negative thoughts? Start by identifying all negative and bad thoughts and replace them with good ones.
Other Fun Habits:
- Study something new: Get in the habit of always learning and revolving. Start reading daily, learn a new skill or a second language.
- Decluttering.
- Develop a morning routine.
- Practice self-care: This has been my goal for this year. This will help you relax and de-stress. You deserve some time to yourself!
Important Keys To Staying Consistent
- Set Micro Habits – To build lasting healthy habits, you need to break down your goal into smaller and manageable tasks. Patience is the key. This will help to build momentum and motivate you to keep going.
- Find What Works for You – Figure out your intentions as this will give you a sense of direction. For instance, you want to lose weight. A single person with no kids may be able to exercise 2+ hours daily. But if you have kids and working then you may only be able to do 15 minutes. And that’s fine! It’s all about being consistent.
- Identify Roadblocks – What is preventing you from reaching your goals? Identify or write on a piece of paper every potential obstacle. Then you brainstorm strategies to help you overcome them. The reason for this is that you want to ensure that there isn’t anything derailing your progress.
- Make a Schedule – This helps with accountability and can be a source of motivation to get things done. Having a routine ensures that you’re consistent. And make your habits more automatic so that you won’t need to be reminded.
- Celebrate your success – Yes, you need to take time to celebrate your progress. This will help you keep motivated on your journey. It doesn’t have to be anything big.
Conclusion
We now understand that developing new habits takes time, effort, and consistency. However, it is possible and worth every effort.
Once you know the habit you want to create and the timeline for it then you are halfway there. You can start building new healthy habits with realistic expectations.
The goal is to start small which means you can start making change today.
