There are better methods to begin a healthy lifestyle shift in your life.

The decisions you make on a daily basis have an impact on whether you retain your energy as you age or acquire life-shortening diseases and disabling  condition,  including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke. You may know precisely what you need to do to have a better, happier life: schedule time to exercise or discover a method to reduce stress, for example. There's just one snag. You haven't completed the task yet.

Inertia is often the most difficult barrier to overcome. It's true that breaking established behaviors like driving instead of walking to local places or grabbing for a doughnut instead of an apple is difficult. Working toward change gradually, on the other hand, increases your chances of success. Here are some methods for making healthy changes in your life, regardless of the change (or changes) you want to make.

There are seven stages to creating your own unique strategy.

Setting your initial objective is the first step in creating your own strategy. Break down difficult decisions into little actions that can help you achieve.

1. Decide on a goal. Select a goal that is a good match for you. It may not be the first objective that comes to mind. However, if you establish priorities that are appealing to you and seem achievable right now, you'll be far more likely to achieve.

2. Begin with a huge question. Do I have a huge dream that corresponds to my objective? Running a marathon or climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, slipping back into a wardrobe full of your favorite clothing, reducing your blood pressure medication, or engaging in active activities and sports with your children are all huge dreams. One word of advice: don't get too caught up in this stage if you can't express a huge goal. You can still make progress toward your objective by using these alternative methods.

3. Make a decision on what you want to alter. Choose an option that seems to be a safe bet. Do you want to eat better, exercise more consistently, diet more successfully, and reduce stress? It's better to focus on just one option at a time. You may then concentrate on the following change after a particular change has become comfortable in your life.

4. Make a commitment. Make a commitment to yourself and one or two people you don't want to disappoint: your spouse or kid, a teacher, doctor, employer, or friends. This will motivate you to persevere in the face of adversity. Make it clear whatever change you've selected and why it's important to you. Include it if it's a step toward a larger objective. I'm dedicating myself to my health by intending to go for a mindful walk twice a week. This is the first step in achieving a larger goal: engaging in a stress-relieving activity every day (and it helps me meet another goal: getting a half-hour of exercise every day). I want to do this because when I reduce stress in my life, I sleep better, my mood improves, and I'm more tolerant with my family and friends.

5. Look for little barriers. Perhaps you'd want to attempt meditation but don't think you'd have the time. If you're hungry when you walk through the door at night, or if your kitchen cupboards and refrigerator aren't well-stocked with nutritious items, your efforts to eat better may come to a halt.

6. Make a list of possible methods to get through a stumbling block. Now consider how you can get over those stumbling obstacles. Is there a time constraint? Before lunch, I'll get up 20 minutes earlier for workouts and go for a 10-minute stroll. Is your pantry devoid of healthful options? I'll think of five to ten nutritious foods that I like and add them to my shopping list.

7. Make a small reward for yourself. Is there anything you could get as a prize for a job well done? For example, if you achieve most or all of your goals for a week, you'll reward yourself with a splurge from money you saved by quitting smoking, a nice bath, or simply a double serving of the iTunes app "Attaboy." Food incentives should be avoided at all costs, since they may be counterproductive.

Reduce the amount of soda you consume by drinking more water.

Please locate my water bottle (or buy one).

Fill the bottle with water and store it in the refrigerator at night.

Stick a sticky note on the front door or inside my backpack to remind me to bring my water bottle.

I take a break in the morning and an afternoon at work to refill my water bottle. This is an excellent moment to pay attention to how much (or how little) I'm drinking.

When I come home from work, I clean out my water bottle and refill it for the next day.