Every January, every Monday, every new month—we begin again. With a renewed burst of motivation, we set goals: to be healthier, to be more organized, to finally create a morning routine that sticks. But somewhere between our vision boards and the chaos of daily life, our intentions often stall.
And before long, we’re back in that all-too-familiar space: the tension between knowing what’s good for us… and actually doing it.
Why is building good habits so difficult? Because life doesn’t wait for us to get it together.
When Life Gets in the Way
Maybe you finally committed to that savings plan, but suddenly, your car needs urgent repairs.
Maybe you started a daily walk, but it’s been raining all week.
Maybe you’ve been prepping healthy meals, but now you're traveling or working late, and fast food is the only option.
Real life doesn't pause for our goals. In fact, it often throws curveballs right when we make strong, positive decisions. I’ve seen it happen too many times—both in my own life and in with others. But if we understand this beforehand, we can plan for it.
What separates those who stick with good habits from those who don’t is not motivation—it's strategy and resilience.
5 Key Strategies to Help You Build (and Keep) Good Habits
1. Decide in Advance: Plan for Setbacks Before They Happen
One of the biggest mistakes we make is assuming the path to growth will be smooth. But it won’t be. You will have off days. You’ll feel tired. You’ll be tempted to give up.
So plan ahead.
Decide what your “bounce-back plan” looks like.
If you miss a workout, will you walk for 10 minutes instead?
If your budget gets thrown off, how will you adjust without giving up on your goal entirely?
Example: If you’re building a habit of waking up at 6 am to journal, have a rule like: “If I sleep in, I’ll journal during lunch or before bed.”
Support tool: Productivity Planner Journal – Use this to schedule in "backup plans" and note how you'll resume when life interrupts your rhythm.
2. Build Consistency: Turn Your Habit Into a Daily Anchor
The magic of habit-building lies in repetition. Doing something at the same time each day—no matter how small—anchors it into your routine. I, for instance, take a walk during my lunch break every day at 12:30 pm. There’s an internal ‘alarm’ that always reminds me to take that walk – this is due to the consistency I’ve garnered over the years.
Start small, but stay consistent.
If your goal is to read more, commit to just five pages a night.
If you’re working on hydration, set an alarm every 2 hours to sip water.
The key? Do it daily, even when you don’t feel like it. Even when the results aren’t immediate.
Support tool: Habit Tracker Wall Calendar – Seeing the streak visually builds momentum and reduces the chance of giving up after a missed day.
3. Innovate and Be Flexible: Habits Don’t Have to Be Boring
Many people quit because their new habits feel rigid or joyless. That’s when you need to get creative. We imagine that just because we need to exercise a little more, we must therefore enroll in a gym or do cardio workouts for at least 1 hour. This is not necessary, if cardio doesn’t motivate you (like for me), do an exercise you will enjoy better. It can be dancing or Zumba, it could be simply brisk walking or even playing with the young energetic ones.
Try habit stacking: pair a new habit with one you already do. For example, meditate for 2 minutes after brushing your teeth.
Add fun or novelty: change up your walking route, or swap a podcast for an audiobook.
And don’t be afraid to adapt.
Support tool: Resistance Bands Set – Compact, travel-friendly, and perfect for keeping movement consistent even when you're stuck indoors.
4. Track Progress: Small Wins Build Big Momentum
Progress may be slow, but tracking it keeps you aware and motivated. Don’t just wait for the big results; celebrate micro-milestones. I use a habit tracker journal where I’m able to tick each day I have maintained a scheduled habit. This keeps me motivated whenever I look back.
Use a notebook or app to check in daily.
Write down what worked and what didn’t.
Acknowledge the fact that you showed up—that is the win.
Support tool: Daily Wellness Journal – This one includes gentle prompts to reflect on your wins.
5. Seek Support: You’re Not Meant to Do It Alone
No matter how motivated you are, there will be days you want to quit. That’s when having someone in your corner helps.
Tell a friend your goal and check in weekly.
Join a community group focused on your habit.
If it fits your style, work with a coach or accountability partner.
Accountability builds momentum. Encouragement keeps you going when your internal drive is low. I usually find myself pushing harder on an action that involves others more than when I’m only accountable to myself.
What About When Life Gets Really Hard?
During a crisis—whether personal, emotional, or physical—habits can feel impossible. In these moments, the key is to be kind to yourself.
Don’t abandon the habit altogether. Adjust it.
Instead of a full workout, stretch for 5 minutes.
Instead of journaling 2 pages, write 2 lines.
Instead of saying, “I’ll start over next month,” say, “I did what I could today.”
Resilience is not about perfection—it’s about continuing, even if imperfectly.
Final Thoughts: Keep Going, Even When It’s Hard
The journey toward building good habits isn’t linear. You’ll hit bumps. You’ll want to give up. But if you keep showing up, keep making the effort, and keep forgiving yourself when you slip, something powerful happens.
The habit becomes part of you. Not because you forced it, but because you nurtured it.
Even when the results don’t show up right away…
Even when no one notices your efforts…
Even when you have to start again for the tenth time…
Do it anyway.
As Mother Teresa wrote in her poem, and as I remind myself often:
Do It Anyway (Excerpt)
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You’ve Got This.
Don’t let a setback make you forget how far you’ve come.
Build anyway.
Be consistent anyway.
Do it anyway.
