The new year. It’s a time for a change as 2017 comes to an end and 2018 begins. People promise themselves with new year’s resolutions of going to the gym, reading more, and starting other healthy habits.

However, when the new year comes in it’s time to party. Many will drink until they can’t anymore.

The new year gives the notion that after this one night, one will stop drinking and using drugs. But that’s problematic, habits do not simply go away after one night.

After all, habits are built up over time and it takes time to change them.

Yes, the new year can be that new starting point to better oneself, and for some, it works, but it’s important to remember that simply stating I will do X after the new year still takes time and effort to accomplish that goal.

Most professionals say that it takes 21 days to change a habit. While situational, altering a habit can take more or less time based on the individual. Some will set a schedule for smoking cigarettes. Monday and Tuesday will be their smoking days but on Wednesday that cigarette becomes even more appealing than it did on the allowed smoke days.

Building a habit is building a tolerance to certain bad habits and finding joy in good habits. In general, runners do not form their habit overnight. They get up almost every day and they obtain the “runners high” and the weight of the benefits begin to show is when the healthy habit is apart of one’s life.

Vice versa, a bad habit involves building a tolerance. Such as turning down a slice of cake at the end of the day, or rather, not having any alcohol at the end of the night. The craving lurks and temps one, but over time the thought of filling that habit becomes unnoticeable and one starts to notice how their life has changed after staying alcohol-free for a while.

Regardless, habits are innate for people to form. People create their habits through their routines and finding one that suits one’s lifestyle is vital to a healthy lifestyle. The year of 2018 could be the perfect time to do it.