Habits are a funny thing. I’ve noticed that doing some things every day is easier than doing them once or twice per week. When I decided to take a break from writing my daily blog, I quickly dropped it from my routine and stopped publishing any blogs. Meditation has suffered the same fate; I do it every day or not all.

When something is in our daily routine, we often do it without thinking about it. That’s great when it’s a behavior that moves us towards our goals. It’s not so good when it’s something that’s holding us back. The lesson is two-fold:

If something is important to you, do it every day and make it part of your routine. Sometimes a tiny action is enough to keep your momentum. Write 1 sentence, take 1 mindful breath, do 1 exercise. To reinforce the behavior and turn it into a habit, enthusiastically celebrate every success. (A fist pump, a big smile, whatever celebration suits you.)

If you are trying to break a habit, the first step is to skip a day. Slowly break the momentum and work up to skipping 2 days, 3 days and eventually a week or more. To make it easier, replace the habit with something good. Instead of having a snack, drink a big glass of water. Skip dessert and go for a walk instead.

How is your daily routine helping you or holding you back?