Happy 2025! 

If you’re planning to start a new habit, or break old ones, now is a powerful time to harness the power of a fresh start – a topic I shared about in a past [TT] newsletter).

In my clinical consultations as a neurologist, I often facilitate sustainable behaviour change that benefits brain health and wellbeing – and January is often a time when motivation is high.

This got me thinking about what neuroscience tells us about sustainable behaviour change.

How do habits shape your brain health? 

Your brain is constantly looking for ways to automate behaviours to conserve energy. 

When we focus on the process rather than just the outcome, we create stronger neural pathways that make habits more sustainable.

Hence, “the process is the goal!”

When we think about habits, it’s easy to fall into the trap of “success” or “failure.” 

Having a clear intention – your deeper “why” – can transform how you approach habits.

For instance, if your intention is to nurture your brain health through movement, so that you maintain good cognitive health as you age for meaningful connections with family, then every walk becomes meaningful. 

Whether it’s 2 minutes or 20 minutes. 

The metric becomes less about “achieving” and more about aligning with your deeper purpose.

When we connect our habits to meaningful intentions, we activate different neural networks that support sustained motivation and resilience.

3 Science-Backed Tips for Better Habits

 Track What Matters 

Have you heard of the phrase “what you measure, you manage”? 

The simple act of measurement increases our awareness and promotes positive change. 

Instead of focusing on “lose 10 pounds,” track your daily walking minutes or nutritious meals prepared. 

These small measurements create powerful feedback loops in your brain.

 Design Your Environment 

I recently wrote about impact of our environment in the [TT] post about Visual Clutter.

Did you know? Your environment shapes your habits more than motivation!

Make good habits obvious and bad habits invisible. 

Place your workout clothes where you’ll see them first thing in the morning, or keep healthy snacks at eye level in your fridge. 

And notice how your brain responds to these visual cues.

 Create Habit Stacks 

Link new habits to existing ones – your brain loves these neural partnerships! 

For example, practice one minute of mindful breathing after your morning coffee, or do a quick stretch every time you finish a video call. 

These “neural neighbours” help cement new habits naturally.

Question for you today 

What process could you start tracking today that would support your brain health & well-being?

Wishing you a joyful start to 2025, and fun with your new habits 

Dr Sui Wong

PS – Fascinating fact: Research from University College London suggests it takes anywhere from 18 to 254 days for a habit to become automatic – reminding us that everyone’s journey is different. The key isn’t speed, but consistency!  This is a nice blog post summarising this research: https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/bsh/tag/66-days