21 Days

At the start of a new year many of us think about breaking a bad habit or trying to change our way of thinking about something. Scientists and researchers tell us the way to do this lies in the brain. Our brains are good at forming habits and holding onto habits. It frees up the brain for higher level thinking. So to successfully give up a bad habit or start a new routine takes time and effort, not to mention that the “memory” of the thing you’re trying to change is always lurking there in the back of your brain. This pattern can be triggered if the right habit cues come back such as feeling lonely or sad. Stress makes this worse and during these times the body produces hormones that can help prevent the brain from laying down a new memory. So it’s best to avoid stress when trying to make a change.
In the end you need to stick with a new habit long enough for the brain to take over for you – some say 21 days. You’ll need to eliminate the stress and give yourself some kind of immediate gratification.
Be patient and give your brain time to rewire.

From an article: Women’s Health: New Year, New You - By Barbara C. Bourassa
http://www.poise.com/eNews/women_12007.asp