How Habit Building is Saving My Mental Health

Since I didn’t get the habits instilled in me when I was a kid to do the basic things to take care of myself, I tend not to. It takes a lot of effort to do those things because I’m actively having to think about it. Then, I read a book called The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. Multiple different scenarios where people with brain damage or more simple brains (rats) being tested started creating habits with repetition. In the book, they monitored the rats brain activity the more that they did the activity and the less brain power they used overall. The most that they use the brain power for is recognizing a cue and when they get the reward because of the dopamine hit.

What does this mean to me? If I put in the effort to create habits now; then in the future I can effectively be on autopilot without sabotaging myself with a lack of self-care. I just have to find the energy to do it now for future me. Which is a struggle, I’m not going to lie. I have a place to keep the habits I’m working on right there in front of my face. Yeah, they’ve been the same for about a month and a half now. I’m still going though! I’m showing up for myself. That’s the thing that’s helped my mental health the most. Making a habit of showing up for myself.

What habits have I already built and how did I do it? I am proud to say that I brush my teeth every morning now because I did a task pairing. I paired brushing my teeth with going to the bathroom in the morning. Right after I wash my hands, I pick up my toothbrush because the…