Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself, Personal Growth is Tough
Big change takes big time and big energy.
The neurological process of learning is like carving a new path in our brains. Actually, it’s almost literally like carving a new path in our brains. Neural pathways in the brain become more efficient and “worn in” with more use, making them easier to access.
When we think about habits and beliefs, this is an important concept. The easier paths to take are the paths that we’re most used to taking. For me, having a beer at the end of the day was a very well-worn path. It was a natural and easy decision. Doing 25 pushups instead — not at all a well-worn path.
This article isn’t about how or why to create these new neural pathways. No, the message here is more about compassion and patience. Making big changes is hard. Too often we go into personal growth hopeful for a quick result, but that’s just not the case.
One study suggests that it takes an average of 66 days to make a new habit automatic, with some habits taking more than 250 days. So stop being so hard on yourself, already.
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