How often have your strategies really stuck for the long haul? Have you found that often, you revert back to old habits after months of trying something new? You may likely have read many books on how to change your habits, how to become the best version of yourself, or how to ignite a change within, and yet you may still feel as though you are looking for something to get you to that next level of personal freedom, achievement and expression.

Here are some tips to help you approach self-improvement with the end-goal of really making new strategies last:

Recognize Patterns
Take a deep look at some of your usual patterns around specific areas in your life, such as food/eating, fitness, stress reactions, and more. You need to get to the root of a behaviour you would like to change, however uncomfortable it may be, otherwise you will only scratch the surface and ultimately your hard work will leave you wanting more.

Listen to Your Body
You can read all the books in the world and listen to every speaker who claims to be an expert in their field, but only you know yourself and how your body is feeling. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s up to you to make sure you listen to what your body is trying to tell you. Take yoga for example; yes it’s beneficial and can help you de-stress, along with many other benefits — but is it the right activity for you? Only you can know.

Watch for Coping Mechanisms
It’s important to recognize whether or not you rely on coping mechanisms to combat struggles in your daily life. These can be helpful certainly, however they often prevent true healing and transformation from taking place. Some common coping mechanisms include:

• becoming excessively ‘busy’ and letting projects take over our daily lives in response to a situation we are uncomfortable with
• reaching for unhealthy foods and self-sabotaging as a way of making ourselves feel better or soothed
• over-indulging in anything from alcohol/substances to social media, as an avoidance tactic