Breaking Bad Habits: Strategies for Lasting Change

Have you ever promised yourself—perhaps on a Sunday evening or at the end of the year—that you’d finally achieve a goal in the coming weeks or months? You carefully made a plan and established a new routine, but once your initial motivation faded and your willpower weakened, you found yourself slipping back into old habits. It’s a common and frustrating experience.

In this blog post, I’ll share practical strategies to help you break free from unhealthy habits, heal from past setbacks, and build lasting routines. These strategies will empower you to reach your goals and become the person you’ve always wanted to be.

How to Break Bad Habits and Create Lasting Change

Here are some strategies and steps to help you succeed:

Awareness

We often focus on what we want without clearly understanding what we need to do—or change—to achieve it. In her book, How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, and Create Your Self, holistic psychologist Dr. Nicole LePera emphasizes that awareness is the first step toward meaningful change and healing.

Holistic psychology integrates the mind, body, and soul to rebalance your nervous system and heal unresolved emotional wounds. This approach empowers you to reconnect with your authentic self, break negative patterns, and consciously shape your life. As you cultivate awareness, you’ll experience a physical, psychological, and spiritual awakening.

How to Develop Awareness

• Start small: Begin by being fully present during everyday activities, such as brushing your teeth, showering, washing dishes, doing laundry, eating, or enjoying your coffee.
• Make a conscious choice: Decide to fully experience and appreciate each moment.
• Engage your senses: Take a few minutes to intentionally notice and savor the smells, tastes, textures, sights, and sounds around you.
• Stay focused: Actively direct your full attention to these sensory experiences.
• Reflect and acknowledge: Afterward, pause to recognize what you’ve just experienced and thank yourself for dedicating those few mindful minutes.
• Practice regularly: Repeat this exercise daily, gradually incorporating more activities as you become comfortable with mindful awareness.

Yoga as a Tool for Rewiring the Brain

Research indicates that practices such as yoga and meditation, which encourage us to focus on the present moment, are particularly effective in reshaping the brain.

Yoga integrates mind and body by combining mindful breathing with intentional movement. By directing your attention to your breath and engaging in slow, deliberate movements, yoga helps train your brain to remain anchored in the present moment.

Be Aware of the Power of Your Thoughts

Our thoughts directly influence our emotions, which in turn shape our behaviors. By becoming more aware of and changing our relationship with our thoughts, we can alter the emotional responses that guide our actions.

Know Yourself

Do you truly know who you are? Are your behaviors and career choices genuinely aligned with your own desires, or have they been shaped by what you believed others expected of you?

To create meaningful change, you must first understand who you truly are. This journey often involves reconnecting with your inner child and rediscovering your natural talents and passions. Through this process, you can reclaim parts of yourself that you may have forgotten or set aside.

We all have natural talents. Do you know yours?

Think back to the activities you loved doing repeatedly as a child. Did you enjoy running, reading, drawing, or spending time with animals? If you can’t recall clearly, ask your grandparents, aunts, uncles, or neighbors. Our natural talents have been with us since childhood, and rediscovering them can bring joy and fulfillment into our lives.

Sometimes, our parents may overlook or misunderstand these talents. They might have had their own dreams for us, such as taking over a family business or pursuing a career they envisioned. In her book, How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, and Create Your Self, Dr. Nicole LePera explains:

“It’s very common for parent-figures to project their own unresolved traumas onto their children. When even well-meaning parent-figures react under the influence of their own unconscious wounds, they, instead of offering guidance, may attempt to control, micromanage, or coerce a child to follow their will. Some of these attempts may be well-intentioned. Parent-figures may consciously or unconsciously want to keep the child safe and protected from the world so that the child will not experience the pain that they, themselves, have. In the process, they may negate the child’s wants and needs. Even when this can seem intentional, these reactions often stem from their own deep-rooted pain, which may not be visible on the surface.”

Many parents, despite their best intentions, guide their children based on their own experiences and aspirations. This can sometimes lead to career paths that reflect parental hopes rather than the child’s true passions. Recognizing this dynamic is an important first step toward discovering what genuinely makes you happy.

If you find yourself regularly wishing you were doing something else at work, ask yourself: What is that something else? What activity puts you into a state of flow, where you lose track of time and feel fully engaged? Identify it clearly and write it down. Understanding your passions and recognizing the activities that energize you is essential for creating a more fulfilling professional and personal life.

Only by becoming consciously aware of your habits and thought patterns can you begin to live a life that is authentically yours.

Be Confident

Once you’ve identified your talents and interests, embrace them with confidence.

If you haven’t yet discovered your unique talents but have a specific skill you’d like to develop, create a clear plan to achieve it. Start by researching available resources in your chosen area. Read relevant blogs and books, and seek advice from colleagues or friends who have successfully pursued similar goals. Connect with people through LinkedIn, social media, or other online platforms. Today, the internet and various communication tools make it easier than ever to build meaningful relationships and expand your network.

Believe in yourself. Clearly define what you want, and trust that you have the ability to achieve it.

Set Boundaries

• Boundaries protect your well-being. They create an essential foundation for all your relationships—especially the relationship you have with yourself.
• Learn the art of saying no without feeling the need to apologize. Give yourself permission to decline requests when doing so supports your well-being.
• Clearly identify your desires, recognize your limits, and communicate them effectively to others.
• Understand your emotional boundaries and express them openly, without fear or shame.
• Discipline is essential for personal growth and healing. It empowers you to consistently show up for yourself.
• Strengthen your boundaries through consistent discipline. Start by honoring small commitments to yourself, and gradually build daily routines and habits that reinforce your boundaries and support your well-being.

Embrace Discomfort

There are no shortcuts or magic solutions. Real, lasting change requires time, effort, and dedication. Accept that change isn’t easy, and the journey ahead will sometimes feel challenging.

Habits—actions we repeat regularly—become deeply ingrained in our subconscious mind. Our subconscious naturally prefers comfort zones and familiar routines because they feel predictable and safe. Even emotions that cause stress or sadness can feel comforting simply because they’re familiar, providing the same type of relief we experienced in childhood.

Whenever we make choices that differ from our usual patterns, our subconscious mind tries to pull us back toward familiarity, creating internal resistance. This resistance can show up as mental or physical discomfort, such as procrastination, anxiety, agitation, or repetitive negative thoughts. These feelings are simply your subconscious mind signaling discomfort with unfamiliar territory.

The familiar feels safe only until we teach ourselves that discomfort is temporary—and that experiencing discomfort is a necessary and valuable part of personal growth and meaningful change.

Accept and Learn From Failure

Mistakes and setbacks are natural parts of the learning process. Rather than becoming discouraged, view these experiences as valuable opportunities to learn, grow, and improve.

Celebrate Your Successes

Take time to recognize and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small they may seem. Every accomplishment represents progress and serves as proof that you are capable of reaching your goals.

Develop a Realistic Routine

Create a routine that you can consistently follow, even when your emotions fluctuate. Break your goals into smaller, manageable steps that help you make daily choices aligned with your desired outcomes.

Morning Ritual

Start your day with activities that ground your mind and body:

• Practice breathing exercises or meditation to center yourself.
• Write down affirmations, positive thoughts, or inspiring quotes to set a positive tone for your day.
• Reflect on your feelings and write about how great your day will be.
• Reprogram your mindset by paying attention to how you describe yourself. Notice the words you use after “I am…”. If you typically use negative adjectives like “late,” “lazy,” “fat,” or “ugly,” consciously replace them with positive ones such as “beautiful,” “organized,” “happy,” “healthy,” or “loved.” Complete the phrase with how you want to feel or what you want to achieve—for example, “I am calm,” “I respect myself,” or “I can follow routines.”

Evening Reflection

At night, take time to reflect on the positive aspects of your day:

• Express gratitude for being alive, healthy, and having comforts such as a warm bed, nourishing food, loving family, and beloved pets or children.
• Write down everything that went well today and acknowledge your accomplishments.
• Plan ahead for tomorrow by outlining your tasks, meals, and priorities. Identify areas for improvement and set clear intentions for the next day.

Daily Intentions

The purpose of setting daily intentions is to remind yourself consistently of your goals and your commitment to change.

Start by creating a simple new habit or adding a small action to an existing routine—for example, drinking a glass of water right after waking up or flossing immediately after brushing your teeth each night. The key is consistency: doing something small every day.

Regular repetition helps form new neural pathways in your brain, making it easier to recognize and adopt new behaviors and thought patterns. Over time, consistent practice reinforces these habits, making them feel more automatic and effortless.

Self-Care

Make time for yourself every day. Listen to your favorite song, dance, read a book, solve a puzzle, play a game, or exercise—choose activities that energize you and incorporate them into your daily routine.

Incorporate Physical Activity Into Your Routine

Find enjoyable ways to stay active each day. You might walk your dog, combine work and exercise by using a treadmill desk, or practice yoga, Pilates, stretching, or strength training. Select activities that match your fitness level, interests, and lifestyle.

If you love dancing, consider joining a local dance class. You could also join a tennis club or play football or basketball with friends. Whenever possible, take a few minutes each day to walk outdoors and appreciate nature. The key is to find something you genuinely enjoy and do it regularly.

Physical exercise enhances sleep quality and boosts mood by releasing beneficial neurochemicals in the brain, such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. These chemicals help you feel happier, calmer, and less stressed.

Personally, using a treadmill desk has been revolutionary. It allows me to meet my daily step goal while simultaneously boosting my creativity and productivity at work. Additionally, I attend the gym three times a week for strength training and recently began practicing yoga. Yoga has significantly changed my perspective, helping me stay centered and calm through mindful breathing and gentle movements. It provides a complete mental reset and energizes me mentally and physically.

Pay Attention to Your Diet

Be mindful of how your diet influences your physical and mental well-being. Aim to eat whole, nutrient-rich foods that nourish your body and mind. For more insights on nutrition and its impact on health and focus, read our interviews with Kevin Harscheidt and Marius Nguedia.

Ensure Good Sleep

Getting enough quality sleep is essential for your overall health. During sleep, your body repairs itself: your digestive system rests, your brain clears out toxins and waste, and your cells regenerate. All your body’s organs and systems, including your nervous system, benefit significantly from restful sleep. Good sleep is crucial for both your mental and physical health.

Read more on this topic in our articles: How to improve the quality of your sleep and How to use 1Focus for a distraction-free sleep environment.

Willpower Has Its Limits

At the beginning of any goal, we usually feel highly motivated. However, the bigger the goal, the more challenging it becomes and the longer it takes to achieve.

Significant accomplishments typically require considerable time and effort, which is often why we lose motivation halfway through. For example, no one can healthily lose 20 kilos in just one month. It’s essential to understand and accept that achieving meaningful goals takes patience and consistent effort.

The most effective way to stay on track is to establish a routine and maintain discipline.

Consider how you brush your teeth or shower at roughly the same time each day without even thinking about it. You’ve done these activities consistently for so long that your body performs them automatically.

As psychologist, performance coach, and holistic health expert Kate Otte explained in our interview: Any behavior you want to integrate into your life long-term, must become a routine.

Routines require very little energy—meaning your brain doesn’t have to expend much effort to follow this ‘well-laid path.’ Once a behavior becomes routine, you’ll effortlessly do it every day.

Surround Yourself With People Who Share Your Goals and Interests

Positive, active people will lift you up, offer support, and provide fresh ideas when you need them. Share your aspirations openly with these individuals and learn from their experiences.

Choose Your Friends Carefully

The people you spend time with can significantly influence your decisions—both positively and negatively.

When you’re trying to replace old habits with healthier ones or striving toward a big goal, you naturally expect support and encouragement from those closest to you. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Whenever we change our behavior or establish healthy boundaries, we often encounter resistance, sometimes even from our closest friends and family.

People around us may be accustomed to our availability or participation in familiar, unhealthy behaviors. If you suddenly decide not to drink at a party, quit smoking, go to bed earlier, or choose a salad over a burger, you might hear comments like, “You’ve changed,” or “Just one won’t hurt.” Remember, these remarks reflect their discomfort with change rather than your choices.

Stay focused on your goals, remain committed to your plan, and don’t let others’ reactions deter you from your path.

Value and Respect Others

Be grateful for each of your true friends. Having a supportive community can significantly improve your mental and physical health, helping you feel happier, healthier, and even live longer.

Be Mindful of Your Information Consumption

Pay attention to how you feel after reading the news, browsing social media, or surfing the internet. Do these activities leave you feeling relaxed or stressed?

Make a conscious effort to take daily breaks from digital devices, especially before bedtime. This practice can help you avoid negative emotions and improve your overall well-being.

Shape Your Environment for Success

Stay focused by limiting your access to distracting digital content. Here are some practical tips:

• Block distracting apps and websites: Use 1Focus to temporarily block distracting apps and websites, such as YouTube, online games, and social media, during your designated working hours.

• Allow only essential websites: Enable access exclusively to websites necessary for your work or study tasks. This helps you practice effective monotasking.

• Block internet access completely: Restrict access to the App Store and installed web browsers to eliminate online distractions entirely.

• Limit digital distractions during sleep: Block digital distractions during your sleeping hours to improve sleep quality and overall well-being.

Conclusion

Achieving lasting change and breaking free from old habits requires a multifaceted approach involving self-awareness, personal discovery, confidence, and a willingness to embrace discomfort.

By establishing realistic routines, prioritizing self-care, and being mindful of your environment and relationships, you can build healthy habits that align with your authentic self and life goals.

Real change takes time, effort, and consistent practice. However, with patience, perseverance, and the support of a positive community, you can transform your life and become the person you’ve always aspired to be.

Further Reading

You may also like: Expert advice: The secrets of lasting motivation

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For a deeper understanding of holistic healing, breaking negative patterns, and transforming your life through mind, body, and soul integration, consider reading How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, and Create Your Self by Dr. Nicole LePera.