Day 23 - Creating a New Healthy Habit

Tammy Landsiedel
May 22
3 min read

Day 23 - Creating a New Healthy Habit

Spoiler alert: you’re not going to build a healthy habit in one day. But one day? One solid, intentional, “I’m-doing-this” kind of day? That’s exactly how it starts. So here we are. Day 23. The day I chose to build something better for myself. One water bottle at a time.

Let’s talk about what really goes into creating a new healthy habit—because it's not magic, and it's definitely not instant.

The Science of Habit Building

According to a 2009 study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, it takes on average 66 days to form a new habit. But the actual range? Anywhere between 18 and 254 days depending on the complexity of the habit and the person forming it. So, no, you’re not failing just because you forgot on day three. You’re human.

Even better? Forming healthy habits has clear mental health benefits:

Improved mood through a sense of accomplishment and consistency.
Reduced anxiety and depression by offering structure and control.
Boosted self-esteem when you follow through on promises to yourself.
Better cognitive function when habits include hydration, movement, and rest.Basically, habits are brain food—like actual water for the soul. (More on that in a second.)

My New Habit: Drinking More Water

Yep. I’m going with the classic “drink more water” goal. Why? Because my kidneys deserve love too.

Also, I do not drink enough water. At all. I used to, and then I didn’t. And then my beautiful 32oz water bottle started living in my fridge like a forgotten houseplant. Sad. Full. Unused. So today, I’m dusting off that bottle, giving it a proper sanitization, and making it part of my daily routine.

My plan?

One bottle per day to start (that’s 4 cups).
Goal: eventually hit two bottles or more /day (8 cups - the standard minimum).
Tracking: I’ll record daily in my habit tracker journal.
Timing: I’ll fill the bottle right after my first coffee of the morning, because I always drink coffee. The idea is to piggyback the new habit on something I already do without fail.

Mini-milestone: If I hit one bottle a day consistently for a month, I’ll celebrate (not with cake...maybe a sticker for my water bottle).

How to Build Your Own Healthy Habit

Here’s a simple, proven step-by-step to help you get started on yours:

Pick one habit. Don’t try to overhaul your life in a day. One small change = long-term success.
Anchor it to an existing routine. Do it right after something you already do.
Start tiny. Smaller than you think. Make it so easy you can’t not do it.
Track your progress. Use a journal, app, or sticky note. Visible progress is powerful.
Expect setbacks. You will forget. You will miss a day. You are not a failure.
Talk nice to yourself. Seriously. Shame doesn’t build habits. Self-compassion does.
Celebrate wins. Every little success is momentum. High-five yourself often.

What I’ve Learned (And Keep Relearning)

One of my own unhealthy habits? Giving up when I miss a day. I hit a bump and immediately decide I suck at building habits, that I’m hopeless, that maybe I’m just not cut out for this "being healthy" gig. Spoiler: That mindset doesn’t work.

So instead, I’m trying something new:I’m not going to give up just because I miss a day.I’m not going to pretend the missed days cancel out the good ones.I’m going to keep showing up - even if I don’t hit the mark perfectly.

That is the habit. Showing up for myself. Being willing to try again.