Forming New Habits that Stick!

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However, the reality to remember is that you did not create the negative neural networks overnight, so you will not alter them overnight.  Although it takes 21-30 days to begin the necessary changes in perceptions, it can take up to 3 cycles, or 63-90 days to develop into a sustained habit. (Source: Switched on Brain, Caroline Leaf)  Also, in cases where the networks are deeply connected with many other networks, it can take much longer to alter. For real and lasting change, it will require a long-term commitment with constant and consistent changes over an extended period of time. 

If you are willing to follow through with the suggestions made in this book and commit to retraining your brain daily, dramatic changes can be made at an accelerated pace. In fact, for those networks which are fairly recent, you may find it quicker and easier to create desired changes. It’s often those networks which may have begun much earlier in life, which can take much longer to reverse and finally transform. 

In case after case, it has been found that, ALL networks, therefore all habits, can be changed if you are willing to stay with it regardless of how long it may take.

In an effort to help you understand how this process works, I offer this simple example:

Let’s say you travel to Europe to stay for 30 days. If you are from the Western world, you will have to learn how to drive on the left side of the road instead of the right side of the road. At first it will seem incredibly awkward and somewhat terrifying. However, after approximately 3 weeks of daily driving, it becomes more natural to you. Why? Because, your brain has stopped the electrical impulses from “feeding” the neural pathways containing the data which programmed you to drive on the right side of the road. At the same time, your brain developed new neural pathways to program you to drive on the left side. However, upon returning to your homeland in the west, you will find yourself feeling awkward all over again because you must reverse the entire process. The only difference you may find is that, since your deepest connections or networks are developed in driving on the right, reversing the synaptic connections will take less time and seem easier than when you were in Europe learning to adopt a new habit for the very first time.

An interesting take away in this example is that you will likely feel quite awkward when first beginning a new habit or success routine for change. This is why the majority of the population will give up on New Years Resolutions after only about 2 weeks. If we are to accomplish real change, we will have to commit to daily change over a minimum of 3-4 weeks before we will notice convincing results.

Excerpts and insights* from Chapter 2 of "Your Journey to Greatness Through Routine: A Guide to Creating a Success Routine"
Book Contains:

• 7 Actual Case Studies
• 8 Downloadable Tools
• Assessment Questions at the End of Each Chapter
• The Brain Science Behind Habits
• Retraining Your Brain Through Cognitive Restructuring
• Heart Science, Energy and the Law of Attraction
• Powerful Principles of Influence and Greatness
• Tips and Tools to Build Your Success Routine

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Michelle L Steffes is a Certified Speaker, Corporate Trainer, Executive Coach and Author of two books: "Reframe & Rewire" (also available on Audible) and "The Machine Inside Me." Discover more and contact her through her website, IPV Consulting.