At the end of each day, sit quietly and reflect on how well you did in taking the next step toward your goal and practicing your new habit. Ask yourself what you can do better next time to insure that you will behave or respond in the way you want to. Focus on that tomorrow.

Old habits are often tied to former routines, friends, and hangouts. Creating a new lifestyle comes with new choices. Choose friends and associates who model the new way of life you want to lead.

Find a form of exercise that is fun for you-and do it.

Unhealthy habits, anything from eating too much greasy food to drinking too much alcohol or caffeine to regularly staying up late, can be a reaction to an imbalance you are unconsciously trying to right-anything from hypoglycemia to an overactive thyroid to sadness or heartbreak. Get help in addressing the underlying imbalance and you may no longer need to overindulge. When you think and speak in a judgmental or negative way, you produce negative results. The opposite is also true.

By replacing negative language with positive speech, you will find your thoughts clarified.When we say, “I tried,” in the past tense, it means we have failed at reaching a goal.

Likewise, saying “I’ll try” is a way of excusing ourselves from doing the hard work of accomplishing whatever it is we are setting out to do. When you make a commitment or promise to yourself or others, say instead, “I will do it!” Deciding to adopt a healthy habit is part of the larger framework of your life. The work you put into hitting your target will help you build the strength, wisdom, and power to attain this goal as well as greater accomplishments. The path to your goal is as important as the goal itself. —beliefnet.com (concluded)