Topic Tuesday // Forming Habits // 17 Jan. 7pm AEDT

[NikNik]

Statistics show that only 8% of people achieve their New Year’s resolutions.

Creating and maintaining resolutions typically means transforming old habits into new ones, which is not an easy feat!

During this Topic Tuesday we talk about the top tips for forming habits, hear about how your resolutions are going and discuss whether resolutions are helpful or harmful.

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[Former-Member]

Just quietly New Year resolutions should be abolished 😬:face_with_rolling_eyes:

[CARING4CARERS]

Hi there everyone. I have a lived experience of being a carer. Joining the lived experience forum for the first time!

[Former-Member]

Well, this could be a very short discussion if we all agree with @Former-Member!

I’m not really a proponent of New Year resolutions (which @NikNikhas already pointed out have a very low success rate) but I am a believer in forming positive habits.  And it seems like a good time of year to discuss that.

The reason I’m interested is that I have a long history of failing to stick to healthy habits.  I’d fall off the quitting sugar and exercise bandwagon again and again.  But in the last couple of years I seem to have finally cracked it.  Not with 100% consistency but with enough that I feel sure that my health has improved and I’m doing a better job at sticking around to raise my daughter.

This got me interested. Why is it possible now? And so I recently read Gretchen Rubin’s book “Better than Before” which is all about making and breaking habits.  That’s what tonight is really about.

How we create habits that help us be better – whatever that means to us.

Does that sound like a discussion worth having?  And, if so, what have your experiences been with resolutions or habits?  Any successes or failures you’d like to share so that we can all learn from eachother?

[Drdoolittle]

Hi, Im Rebecca. Mental health is soemthing Im really passionate about. Hope to get something out of this today.

[Former-Member]

Welcome @CARING4CARERS!  Lots of us cross over between forums frequently so you're among friends.  Does the topic of habits and resolutions particularly interest you?

[Former-Member]

Hi @Drdoolittle, are you working on any resolutions right now?

[Charli]

I'm writing a note at the end of each day to express thankfulness for all the positive things I have in my life. Some notes are short, others are longer and sometimes I have to push myself to do it at all!
But it's a habit worth keeping - it reminds me how very lucky I am and helps counteract the 'grumpy old woman' tendencies!

[Drdoolittle]

Massively important, I lost my husband to suicide a few years back and my esteem and self love has gone. I now need to start doing things for me rather than sitting and waiting and not living.

[Former-Member]

The only thing I have used that works for some things is telling myself I'm just not going to do ??? today. It's how I gave up smoking. Everyday I'd make the decision to go just one day without smoking and after 8 weeks I only failed one day and it helped gain momentum to keep going