When it comes to lifestyle changes, it can be very difficult to make new habits stick! Why does it seem so easy to fall into bad habits, and so difficult to make good ideas into good habits? Whether we’re talking about sleep schedules, screen time limits, healthy food choices, or exercise, it seems like it takes a phenomenal amount of energy to put new habits in place. It can be so discouraging that many people quit before they even get started.

Change does take energy. By understanding some of the factors that make positive change so difficult, we can power through the tough part and harness that energy to make our habits work FOR us.

The first and largest reservoir of energy comes from our motivation. WHY are we seeking change? By taking the time to dig down through the layers of reasons and expectations and information, what you may arrive at is this: I deserve good health. I deserve to take care of myself. I deserve to enjoy my life. To start from the assumption that you are worth the effort is a powerful base for your motivation.

After you sit with your worthiness for a while and let it sink in, next ask yourself who else loves you and would benefit from your  health. It's important to center our motivation in something greater than ourselves, and to realize that our health is important to the people who love us. An audience of three or more will help us give ourselves the permission to take time, energy, and resources to instill better habits. It’s not just for us — it’s for everyone we love as well.

It is also helpful to start from a positive place. Rather than make a list of things to avoid or not do, try phrasing your list from a positive perspective. Ask yourself, “Why do I want to care for this one body that I have NOW?” What is inspiring you to make this change?

Next, work on your goal setting. It is important to be very clear about what you want to do. Here are seven steps to effective goal setting.

1.     Put it in writing. It helps to write it down, and to make it a real thing that exists outside of your own head. Find supporters in your circle who will encourage you and will offer the right kind of accountability.

2.     Clearly define your goal. Attach a date to it, and define your parameters. Start with very clear intentions. Phrasing can be helpful when articulating your goals. You can try using “If, then” language to attach your new habit to a reward right away. You can also try habit stacking—this is when you attach a new habit to an established habit to help you remember to do it. You can also put your new habit right into your schedule, just like you would a chiropractic appointment or a lunch date with a friend.

3.     Break down your end result into a series of subgoals, all leading to your ultimate goal. Small habits are easier to build into your life than large ones. If you tell yourself you will do fifty pushups every day, it will be easy to run out of time, or to be so sick or late or tired there’s no way you could do it. But if you start with the habit of doing five pushups when you get out of bed in the morning, that is so small and attainable you almost can’t NOT do it. Find the baby steps you need to get your habit established, and increase it gradually as you work those habits into your routine. This leads right to our next point.

4.     Make sure those subgoals are attainable. You may wish you could lose twenty pounds in a month, but isn’t a healthy or attainable goal. If your goal is to lose twenty pounds, break it up into smaller chunks to keep working at it.

5.     Anticipate obstacles and setbacks. When you falter, you’ll be ready for it and less likely to just give up on everything. Consider how you can set up your environment to add to your success. Make it easy to pursue the habits you are cultivating and harder to do the things you are working on eliminating. Ask friends to help hold you accountable and pre-commit to your new habits.

6.     Track your progress and reward your successes. Tracking progress builds your momentum and will make it harder for your to “break the chain” when things get tough. Find ways to celebrate. Spend your energy noticing and celebrating even small steps in the right direction rather than berating yourself for making mistakes. The positive energy you pour into celebrating will reinforce your positive results. That positive feedback loop will energize you and be more motivating than punishing yourself for mistakes would be.

7.     Support your goals with your purpose and your affirmations. This is another way to harness positive energy and to put it to work for you.

You may also want to ask yourself, “How do I respond to expectations?” This is the basis of Gretchen Rubin’s book “The Four Tendencies.” Rubin describes four basic tendencies and how to work with each to support healthy habit formation, or as she describes it, “How to get people, even yourself, to do what you want!”

Having some understanding of what kind of person you are will help you define your goals, anticipate your setbacks, and support new habits. For some people, keeping track of every food you eat will help you make better choices. And some people will go get a whole sack of mini donuts just for the delight of writing that down instead of carrot sticks. Knowing that about yourself will help you choose techniques that will actually help you rather than help you self-sabotage.

And of course, seek the support of your friends, your family, and your health care team. They can all support you as you seek to improve your health.