As the first few weeks of a new year have passed, many of you have likely been thinking about making some positive habit changes. Making healthy changes in our lives can really have a positive impact on our happiness and overall quality of life, but it takes some planning and commitment.

In the quick 4 minute video below, Dr. Armstrong shares five ways you can make meaningful change that actually causes a habit to stick. Be sure to share with us what habits you are thinking of changing. We are always here to help.

How to Make Habit Changes that Stick

#1: Find Your Why

Maybe we've told you you should do some stretches for your low back or maybe you heard that eating less sugar can be helpful in reducing inflammation. But if that isn't meaningful to you, it's not going to motivate you to change.

Let's take back pain for instance. Why do you actually want to have less back pain in your life? Maybe you want to be able to focus at work. Maybe you want to be able to get down on the floor and play with your kids or play with your dog and actually be able to get back up.

If you think about the root reason, the underlying value that you want to make this change, that's going to be way more motivating.

#2: Find A Friend

We've heard this one a lot, get an accountability partner, but it's a really powerful one. If you can find a friend who can do these things with you, who can keep you motivated, who can keep you accountable, who can be a support system that's really going to help you achieve more success.

Luckily with the internet, you can join various groups for various goals. Whatever it is that you're interested in making a change in, there might be a group out there that is on the same track as you, or you can be that friend who motivates someone else.

Maybe you say to a friend, Hey, let's get on FaceTime once a week.

#3: Habit Stacking

Is there a habit that already has space in your life? For instance, brushing your teeth. Then you want to stack something on top of that. Maybe while you're brushing your teeth you're using that time to do your foot exercises for that bothersome foot problem.

Maybe every night you have a habit of watching TV then that's a good time for you to get down on the floor and do your exercises.

There are many more ways to stack habits, find whatever is right for you.

#4: Focus On Adding In Positive Behaviors

Rather than thinking about whether I should eat less junk food or I should sit less, think about how you are going to pack vegetables for a snack.

Adding in the positive behavior rather than focusing on subtracting negative behaviors helo change our mindset.

#5: Pick A Date

We may have heard of the term SMART goals. So the T in SMART represents timely.

Since I like to compete, I pick races just so I have a time-based goal so I know I have to train, I have to swim, I have to bike, and I have to run by a certain date.

Maybe there is a 30-day yoga challenge you could do, or there is another type of event that you and your friend could go to.

Figuring out your why, making your goals value based, finding a friend, and picking a date are good ways to make habits stick.

Please feel free to share your goals with us and if you have any questions about what I've talked about here today.