Why Wait for the New Year?

I'd read somewhere once that it takes two weeks to form a new habit.  I don't know how true that is and I've since read multiple other takes on that rule (one article said 90 days is the real sticking point)--but that thought stuck somewhere in my brain.

Sometime last year, I got it into my head to develop a good habit and get my husband to follow suit.  It was a small thing--when we came home on a daily basis, we tended to leave our shoes in what passes for our "entry way" next to the shoe/coat rack.  For some number of weeks, I made a fully conscious effort to put my shoes away in the shoe rack there, and reminded the husband about it, too.  I don't know how long it's been, but we're both fully trained to do this now--and we largely do this now without even thinking about it.

It may seem trivial, but the success I have seen at my year of reading resolution has left me feeling fairly empowered.  My original reading goal boiled down to reading 12 new books this year.  I'm half way through October and I'm on my 25th book.  This and another new habit in my life has got me contemplating good habits in general.

Why wait for the new year to start a new resolution?  My new goal is to attempt to incorporate a new good habit each month.  I won't share most of them here either due to them being of a personal nature, or simply boring.  But so far, my October habit is coming along nicely, and as of today I've pulled off two consecutive weeks.  I'm going to try and keep them simple.  These aren't meant to be wild, life changing habits--just little things that I think will bring some small improvement to my life.

It has occurred to me that it might become difficult to come up with new habits after a while, but I hope that some can be slow builds to bigger goals.  Like... starting with requiring myself to be out of bed by a certain time every morning (regardless of how much time I need to get ready that day).  And being in bed by a certain time.  And then later incorporating a walk every morning.  And so on.

Here's hoping.