habits!

Bad habits! I have plenty of these. Today I looked up this subject and was surprised by how much information was out there! Everything from it taking 3-4 weeks to change them and even people saying you can never change once set in your ways. I think the best information I found said you can start new habits, so there is still hope for me yet!
So, I started to wonder how long would it really take to start a new habit. I think the best information I found came from the UK Health Behaviore Research Centre . They came out with some research saying it took 66 days to form a habit. I think I like this better than the idea of doing something for say only 30 days. The longer we do something the more it will stick…right?
Okay, so now I am wondering how to go about starting new habits. Should I pick one or maybe several and give it a go? I think with me I should do this in baby steps. I’m thinking one at a time would be more realistic. Where to start and what habit seems to be best? I think making a list would be a good start. Here are some that seem important to me.
1. Walking 3-5 days a week
2. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day
3. Doing those pesky dishes every night before bed. (some days they end up being done in the morning :o)
4. Eat breakfast every morning!
5. Take my vitamins every day.
6. Floss twice a day even when once seems enough on busy days.
7. Go to bed at a reasonable time.
8. Eat something green every day.
9. Read for 15 minutes a day. I know its not long, but with six kids it is!
10. Remember my prayers every night.
Okay so there is a list of ten. A good start for sure. Now I need to pick one and go at it! (like how I am figuring this out as I go?) I think I will use a very scientific method and please feel free to use it if ever not sure when making choices off a list. Going to close my eyes now and see where my finger leads me. Okay number 5 and the vitamins!
To make this legitimate I am going to take all the vitamins I like to use and put them into 66 individual bags. I will also take my supplements and put them in the same area. I guess I need to go buy extras tomorrow. I will also enlist my husbands help to make sure I have support and don’t fail at this. I think a photo log would be another good idea. Maybe it will make it kind of fun….for me at least. Oh, a picture before and after 60 days also. I want to see if they really make a difference in my skin and hair. I have never been good at taking them with any kind of consistency.
Well, as silly as this seems I am excited to give it a try. If it works I will work on this list of ten until I get them all into my habits! :D Now step one is getting these vitamins in baggies and taking that dreadful before photo. 66 days doesn’t seem so bad, well for now it doesn’t! Wish me luck!!!