CASA for Lancaster County Offers Five Tips for Creating New Habits

If you have a habit you’d like to break or change, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA; casa4lancaster.org) for Lancaster County wants to help. They’ve shared a list of five tips for creating new habits, including using a trigger, starting small, focusing on the bigger picture, rewarding yourself, and fighting the hurdles. When it comes to living a positive lifestyle, habits either make or break you, influencing your physical health, emotional well-being, and even your outlook on life.

Because all habits are derived from a trigger, which automatically initiates a behavior that leads you to do something else, using cues like the time of day, place, and circumstance with your trigger will increase the likelihood that your habit will stick. A quality reminder encodes your new behavior in something that you already do. But start small, as lasting change is a product of daily habits, not once-in-a-lifetime transformation. Focus on the bigger picture and make your immediate goals smaller ones and develop a plan to get further down the road on your journey, and be sure to reward yourself for the personal goals you practice your goals; give yourself a pat on the back! Finally, remember that nobody’s perfect, and you’ll have to fight the hurdles but get back on track as quickly as possible to avoid falling backward. A new habit takes about 30 days to develop, so hang in there!

CASA for Lancaster County is a volunteer-driven local organization of caring people who want to make a difference in children’s lives. For more information about becoming a volunteer advocate with CASA for Lancaster County, visit casa4lancaster.org or contact Dawn Rockey at (402) 474-5161 / drocky@casa4lancaster.org.