This article from Brain Pickings, titled How Long It Takes to Form a New Habit, is really interesting: “We are what we repeatedly do,”Aristotle proclaimed. “Could the young but realize how soon they will become mere walking bundles of habits, they would give more heed to their conduct while in the plastic state,”William James wrote. But how exactly do we rewire our habits once they have congealed into daily routines? We already know that it takes more than “willpower.” Step out of your comfort zone and try something new! What have you wondered about doing in the past, but haven’t had the courage to try? Aim for something small that you can accomplish in a single day. Get in the habit of trying something new on a regular basis. Each successful experience will build your confidence and motivate you to try something else!When Dr. Maltz would perform an operation -- like a nose job, for example -- he found that it would take the patient about 21 days to get used to seeing their new face. Similarly, when a patient had an arm or a leg amputated, Maltz noticed that the patient would sense a phantom limb for about 21 days before adjusting to the new situation. These experiences prompted Maltz to think about his own adjustment period to changes and new behaviors, and he noticed that it also took himself about 21 days to form a new habit. Maltz wrote about these experiences and said, "These, and many other commonly observed phenomena tend to show that it requires a minimum of about 21 days for an old mental image to dissolve and a new one to jell."Even the most adventurous couples can find themselves in a rut from time to time. With 100 fun and creative ways to shake things up, this book will challenge you to get outside of your usual activities. It also includes a place to record your completion dates and questions to help you remember the highlights of each activity!

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