I remember reading something in high school that stated ‘it takes 21 days to make or break a habit’. This made sense to me; I grew up Catholic, so every year there was a period of time, Lent, where we fasted and chose something to give up for 40 days. I’d usually give up soda or candy, and I remember it’d be really hard in the beginning (I have the biggest sweet tooth) but after a week or so it got easier. After a few weeks, it became almost second nature to avoid the thing I had been fasting.
Having a specific number of days to aim for when trying to set a habit really helped motivate me to start new things and stick to them, knowing that it will become easier relatively quickly as long as I just stick it out for 21 days. A few years ago, I decided I would try to add a morning run into my daily routine. I know running is great exercise and a good way to stay healthy, but I just can not get myself to enjoy it. I’ve always disliked running, so I thought I might as well try and change that. Every morning I would force myself to go and run, and it was incredibly hard the first few days, but I kept repeating to myself “21 days”. I had a countdown in my head for the first week or so, but after that I started losing count because it was getting easier. I could feel the habit forming. I eventually switched morning runs for going to the gym in the morning, since I enjoy that a lot more, but it was very interesting to see that I could form a habit even for something I strongly dislike.
I also have first-hand experience on how habit-forming works against you. During the pandemic, gyms were shut down, I was unemployed, and all our karate classes became virtual over zoom. I don’t have the most space at home to workout, let alone train, so I was limited in the amount of exercise I could do. My instructors did a fantastic job of still providing quality classes and workouts over zoom, but because of my space constraints I wasn’t able to exert myself as much as I usually do in karate. That, combined with not having to be on my feet for extended periods of time made my body get way too used to sitting and laying down. Once restrictions loosened up a little and I could return to the gym and karate (with a mask), I noticed I was getting winded a lot quicker than I used to. It didn’t just feel like I was out of shape; I would wake up tired, even when I had gotten a full night’s sleep. My body had just gotten used to all the extra rest I was getting while the world was shut down. I quickly began to try and get back to my usual routine hoping it would help, and it did! My bad quarantine habit was disappearing as I was able to begin my old healthier habits again.
Keep this in mind if you’re attempting to try something new: it will get easier soon, as long as you’re persistent and insistent. Don’t be discouraged if the habit you’re trying to build takes longer than 21 days, I believe it varies from person to person; I’ve also heard people say 30 days, 50 days, 70 days, etc. As long as you don’t give up, that habit will become a part of your daily routine and life, if you so choose.
