25 great ways to build healthy habits | members only

8. USE FRAMING AS A STRATEGY “Framing draws attention to a specific perspective and alters the way you think about something,” says sociologist Marika Lindholm, coeditor of _Between_ _Us:_

_Healing_ _Ourselves_ _and_ _Changing_ _the_ _World_ _Through_ _Sociology_. “By changing the way you frame a habit, you can make it more appealing.” For example, too many of us think of

healthy habits as punishments — especially when taken to the extreme, such as dieting that feels like deprivation or fitness that feels like self-flagellation. “Instead of punishment,

reframe a healthy habit as enjoyable by avoiding drastic changes and finding ways to keep it fun. “I guarantee, for instance, that there is an exercise out there that’s fun for you,” says

Lindholm. “Keep trying different types until you find one that brings you joy.” 9. AIM FOR INTRINSIC MOTIVATION Another vital element for building healthy habits is intrinsic motivation,

which the _Harvard Business Review_ defines as “the incentive we feel to complete a task simply because we find it interesting or enjoyable.” Says Vokoun: “Having a growth mindset, and

focusing on learning, growing and improving each step of the way, can help you to be intrinsically motivated to make changes.” She adds that it’s important to create habits that align with

your values, make you feel and function better, and bring you joy. Use a vision board with images, quotes and reminders related to your new habits. Sam Island 10. DESIGN A VISION BOARD

Feeling a bit creative and know you do better with visual cues? Smith recommends making a vision board with images, quotes and reminders related to your new habits. But don’t then hide it

away in a closet; place the board someplace you’ll see it every day, like your bedroom or office. “This constant visual reminder keeps your goals top of mind, reinforces your commitment to

building these habits and gives you a fun visual reminder of what this healthy habit means to you,” Smith says. 11. STACK YOUR HABITS The term “habit stacking” is trending, but what does it

mean? According to Cohen, it’s a way to build fresh routines by linking new habits to existing ones. For example, if you enjoy a morning coffee, add a short stretching routine right after.

“This method leverages your existing habits as triggers for new behaviors, making it easier to integrate and maintain them,” Cohen says. “Habit stacking reduces resistance and helps new

habits become a seamless part of your day.” 12. CREATE A POSITIVE VOICE IN YOUR HEAD “Minds tell stories, and that’s what they do,” says psychologist Nina Smiley, director of mindfulness at

New York’s historic Mohonk Mountain House resort and coauthor of _The_ _Three-Minute_ _Meditator:_ _30_ _Simple_ _Ways_ _to_ _Unwind_ _Your_ _Mind_ _and_ _Enhance_ _Your_ _Emotional_

_Intelligence_. “If we are able to listen to the self-talk that happens throughout the day, we can learn a lot about our attitudes towards ourselves and our new habit formation.” So listen

to that voice in your head. If it’s telling a negative story (“This won’t work”) or creating an excuse to stop a new behavior (“Well, I’ll just...), Smiley says to talk back to it. “Take the

opportunity to bring energy and an expectation of a positive story into the moment as you discover how to converse with that voice in your head,” she says. 13. CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH

CONSISTENCY Grizont says that small, achievable goals are the secret weapon of habit formation. Instead of committing to a 30-minute walk on a nature trail every day, start with a

three-minute walk around the block. Consider the tiniest, most realistic action you can take consistently, given your energy and resources. When you set up “micro-habits,” it primes your

brain for success and snowballs into bigger achievements, she says. Challenge yourself to be consistent first, then amplify your goals. 14. REDUCE FRICTION WHEREVER YOU CAN Grizont

recommends asking yourself a series of questions to see where you can minimize obstacles. How can I make this habit easy? How can I reduce the amount of willpower needed to choose it? What

can I automate? Who can support me? What can I modify in my environment? What temptations can I avoid? “Notice when, where and with whom you have more resistance, and architect a way through

it,” she says. “Want to walk during the day? Perhaps you block out time in your calendar, find a walking buddy at work and have your walking shoes under your desk, ready to go.” The buddy

system can make challenges less daunting. Sam Island 15. USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM Social support makes a big difference in how we see and perceive challenges. A study published in the _Journal

of Experimental Social Psychology_ in 2008 found that people who looked up at a hill with a friend perceived it to be less steep than people who looked at a hill by themselves. That’s why

Grizont suggests buddying up with a friend, colleague or coach. “Just the presence of someone else will help your nervous system feel safer and thereby [make] the challenge less daunting,”

she says. “We’re designed to do things together.” 16. WRITE NEW SOCIAL SCRIPTS Social scripts are deeply ingrained patterns of interaction — and you’ll need to tweak yours to build healthy

habits. When asking friends or colleagues to get together, we often say, “Let’s grab lunch” or “Let’s get together for a drink.” But Elizabeth Anne Wood, a sociologist and coeditor of

_Between_ _Us:_ _Healing_ _Ourselves_ _and_ _Changing_ _the_ _World_ _Through_ _Sociology_, says scripts like these “can make it difficult to adopt healthier eating habits, cut back on

alcohol or caffeine, or save money. The good news is you can rewrite [them].” For example, suggest things like, “Let’s grab a smoothie” or “Let’s get together for a walk” the next time

you want to hang out with a friend. 17. DON’T STRIVE FOR PERFECTION The popular expression often attributed to Winston Churchill is right: “Perfectionism is the enemy of progress.”

Perfectionism can also get in the way of building healthy habits. “When we strive to be flawless in our efforts to change an existing habit and come up against a self-imposed standard we

can’t meet, it can feel discouraging, deflating and distressing,” says Smiley. “Yet underneath this perceived failure lies an opportunity for a moment of insight. Ask yourself some simple

questions, such as, ‘Are my expectations reasonable? Can I break this into smaller steps?’ ”