In the excitement of closing out one year and beginning another, people often start making ambitious health and wellness goals - but we all know the hard part is sticking to them. This year, as you continuously evaluate the progress you’re making towards the health and wellness goals you’ve set, it’s important to understand how you can build new habits that will last.

Willpower vs. Skillpower

When we think about willpower, it’s often about pushing ourselves to accomplish a single action: “I’ve got to get to the gym today, if I just get up now, I can do it,” or “I ran two miles, I can tack on one more right now.”

The problem with this is that when life gets in the way, or your motivation dwindles, it’s very easy to push things aside that are good your personal well-being. So, what happens when willpower isn’t enough?

This is where skillpower comes into play. When you utilize skillpower, change is a process of learning through practice. Rather than focusing on getting through one action as you would when you tap into your willpower, skillpower focuses on continuous growth through learning.

Building a new skill takes effort, practice, and most importantly, time. Success doesn’t happen overnight, and you will experience some hiccups along the way. And that’s okay! Developing a new skill is not a linear process, and as long as you keep learning and trying, you’re still on the right path.

So, as you think about the goals you’ve committed to this year, really take a deep look at what you’ve accomplished so far and where you see yourself in a few months. If you’ve fumbled the number of workouts or steps you said you’d take, show some self-compassion. Thank yourself (and your body!) for where you’ve gotten but also remain cognizant of where you still need to go. Remember, building a new habit is a learning process, for both your body and your mind. Be patient and kind to yourself!