Building Habits that Last:
The D2H Method to Create, Empower, Implement, Become
In March of 2020, when the pandemic hit, I started a blog. Little did I know, that blog would become the foundation of my business. I even named my company after it. I made a commitment to write one entry every single day for a year (missing 30 days total), and that routine helped shape the business I built and my mindset. But over time, I lost my way. I lost my vision—for my business, and for myself. Lately, life has been all about restructuring, realigning, and figuring out where I’m headed next. And that’s what’s been calling me back to writing.
So here I am, ready to dive back into it. For the next year, I’m committing to writing at least once a week. The difference this time? Well, I’ve got a bit more experience under my belt, but I’m still following that same impulse to write—to put my thoughts, my feelings, and my truth out into the world.
This first post is a nod to my first 6 entries, reworded, rethought, and restructured—but still holding onto the core themes of what Dare to Habit was all about. If this is your first time here, get ready for a mix of things that might feel new to you, or things you might just need to hear right now. I'm throwing everything I’ve got into this, and this time, I’m really ready for whatever’s next.
If you’re curious about what I’ve written before, I invite you to go back and read. Some of it was raw, some of it was messy, and honestly, not everything was eloquent. But my motto has always been, “It doesn’t have to be pretty, you just have to do it.” So, with that, I’m jumping back in. Let’s see where this journey takes us.
What is a habit?
A habit is defined as:
A settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.
But what does this really mean?
In simple terms, a habit is anything you do regularly. It could be a thought, emotion, or action—positive or negative—that you repeat over and over. These repeated actions or thoughts form a cycle that becomes ingrained in your daily life. This is the foundation of how habits are built.
The Cycle of a Habit
It starts with creation—a thought pops into your head. Then, that thought spirals into a pattern of thinking that gets strengthened by your body's reaction. From there, it triggers action. Once you act on that thought, it becomes more than just an idea. It becomes reality.
For example, let’s say I wake up and start thinking about all the things I need to get done that day. The thought of a to-do list starts forming. For me, making a list is a habit—it’s how I stay on track. I start thinking about how much time I have, what needs to be prioritized, and so on. This thought gets stronger and turns into action. I begin checking off tasks, and by the end of the day, those thoughts have been fully implemented. Every day, I repeat this process: create, empower, implement, and become. This cycle is key to building lasting habits.
Habits and the Brain
Every day, you’re bombarded with thoughts, emotions, and actions—whether you’re aware of them or not. Take a moment and think about your morning routine. Do you make your bed? Brush your teeth? Think about the day's tasks? These routines are habits.
As humans, habits are part of our nature. The more you repeat something, the deeper the neural pathways in your brain become. Think of it like water running down a hill, creating a groove as it flows. With time, the more water flows, the deeper the groove becomes thus causing the pathway of the water to be carved out, just like how your brain strengthens neural connections. This is why it takes time—at least 30 days and sometimes more—for a habit to feel automatic. It’s about your brain creating the quickest route for those neurons, so you don’t have to think about it anymore.
Starting a New Habit or Breaking an Old One
So now that we know how habits are formed, let's talk about the noise that surrounds starting a new habit or breaking an old one.
Take smoking, for example. Why is it so difficult for many people to quit? Because the habit has carved deep grooves in the brain, creating emotional ties, like stress relief, and even addiction. I’m a former smoker, so I know how tough it can be. What helped me quit was first understanding the why, when, and where of my habit. For me, stress was a major trigger. Second, the addiction to nicotine was powerful. Third, smoking had become part of my routine.
Not everyone’s pattern is the same, but if you want to break a habit, it’s important to get clear on your own reasons for continuing it. Sit with your thoughts. Meditate. Reflect on why you’re holding on to something that no longer serves you. When you understand the emotional attachment to a habit, you can shift your perspective and embrace change rather than resist it.
For me, stress was the key trigger. When I felt stressed, my body would go into fight-or-flight mode, my breath would become shallow, and I'd panic. That’s when the thought of a cigarette would pop up. The action of smoking itself wasn’t what calmed me down—it was the deep breath I took when I smoked. That breath would activate my body’s parasympathetic system (rest and digest), and I’d feel relief.
So, I started practicing deep breathing instead. When stress hit or a craving surfaced, I’d take deep, calming breaths. It wasn’t easy, and I had to fight the urge to smoke. But I kept reminding myself of why I wanted to quit in the first place. Your reasons for change need to outweigh the excuses for why you can’t make it happen. Anchoring to those reasons helps you push through the tough moments.
Addiction and Routine
The second challenge for me was addiction. Addiction is all about instant gratification. It’s a powerful mental and physical pull. Cravings can hit hard—lasting for about 15 seconds but feeling intense. During that time, it felt impossible to resist. So, I found ways to distract myself—chewing gum, holding a pen to my mouth, breathing deeply. After a few days, the cravings started to fade, and within a week, the physical addiction to nicotine eased.
But it wasn’t easy. Breaking a habit feels unbearable at times. To help, I reminded myself of a time when I was smoke-free, and visualized being there again. This mental image was powerful because it gave me a sense of possibility and motivation to keep going.
Here’s the thing: the habit wasn’t just about smoking. My routine had been powered by thoughts: "I’ll be less stressed if I smoke." I turned smoking into something positive in my mind, and quitting into something negative.
Changing Your Mindset
If I wanted to quit, I needed to change my mindset. It’s easy to view quitting as painful—more stress, irritability, maybe even weight gain. Those negative associations only made the habit harder to break.
So, I shifted my perspective. I started focusing on the positives of quitting: better breathing, clearer skin, more energy, and the ability to enjoy exercise more. By making the act of quitting a positive, I was able to weaken the grip of smoking.
The Power of Positive Reinforcement
This principle applies to all habits, not just quitting smoking. Let’s talk about starting a new healthy habit—like working out. If you have a negative association with exercise, it might look something like this:
"Ugh, it’s going to be painful."
"I don’t have time for this."
"It takes too long."
"I’ll never get the hang of it."
Sound familiar? These thoughts keep you stuck in a cycle of inaction. You tell yourself how bad it will be, and then you don’t even try. The result? You reinforce the negative association and avoid exercising altogether.
But what if you flipped that mindset?
"I feel so much better after I work out."
"I love being part of a supportive community."
"Exercise is fun! I feel stronger and more energized."
When you focus on the enjoyment and benefits, the habit becomes easier to sustain. The more you enjoy the process, the more likely it is to stick.
Creating Habits You Love
Ultimately, it all comes down to consistency and practice. Consistency turns actions into habits. By learning how to create, empower, implement, and become, you’ll develop habits that not only serve you but that you’ll love to keep.
How to Create, Empower, Implement, and Become
Creation is not merely an act; it’s a process. It starts with a vision—visualizing what you want to create. Visualization is the blueprint, the first step in manifesting your reality. When you imagine your desires, you’re engaging in the cycle of creation. This process is not about wishful thinking but about activating your mind's ability to shape reality.
What do you want to bring into your life? Whether it’s a new skill, a career, a relationship, or even a personal transformation, it all starts in your mind. The moment you imagine something clearly—feeling the emotions, seeing the details—you spark the process of creation. The Law of Attraction tells us that what we focus on grows. This means our thoughts shape our reality, whether we’re aware of it or not.
Our thoughts carry energy and frequencies, and the more energy you devote to your visualization, the more your mind starts to align with it. The creation process is driven by clarity and belief, and with this energy, you begin to attract the right opportunities. The key is to visualize without limits, imagining the outcome as if it’s already happening. The moment you tell yourself it’s impossible, you halt the process.
Once you’ve created the vision, the next step is to empower it. Empowerment means infusing your visualization with energy—specifically, positive emotions and belief. This stage requires you to elevate your thoughts and align them with your desires. Affirmations are a powerful tool here. They reinforce your vision by stating it as a fact: "I am capable. I am worthy. I will succeed." These phrases help you rewire your brain and reinforce the new reality you're creating.
Emotions are the fuel for creation. When you empower your vision with the energy of joy, love, or confidence, you increase its momentum. Conversely, if you focus on fear, doubt, or lack, that will also manifest. Fear can be a roadblock, and to overcome it, you must choose to replace it with belief. Empowerment is about taking control of your thoughts and emotions to create the energy that propels you forward.
Empowerment alone won’t get you far without implementation. To implement means to take consistent action toward your goals, no matter the obstacles. It’s where you put your plan into motion. Let’s say you want to learn a new skill. After visualizing it and empowering it with belief, you start practicing every day. You research, you study, you make mistakes, and you learn from them.
Implementation requires persistence. It’s not just about envisioning success—it’s about doing the work and showing up every day. Failure is part of the process, and each mistake teaches you something valuable. The key is consistency. As you take action, you begin to build momentum, making progress toward your goal. The more you implement, the more you move from thought to reality.
The final stage is when you become what you envisioned. Once you’ve created, empowered, and implemented, you arrive at a new version of yourself or your life. This is where all your hard work pays off. You’ve shifted your mindset, overcome challenges, and now the results are manifesting.
But, here’s the important part: Becoming is not just about the end result. It’s about the transformation that happens along the way. Achieving your goal reveals a new level of self-awareness, discipline, and confidence. You don’t just reach the destination—you become someone capable of achieving even more.
This cycle repeats itself as you evolve. Once you achieve a goal, you begin the process again—visualizing the next level, empowering it, implementing, and becoming. Each cycle builds on the last, and the more you practice, the stronger your ability to create becomes.
Visualization is the starting point in the cycle of creation. It’s the moment when you decide what you want and imagine it vividly. As you empower that vision with belief and emotion, you begin to implement it through consistent action. Finally, as you step into your new reality, you become a reflection of the vision you first created.
Remember, you are always creating. Your thoughts, emotions, and actions are constantly shaping your world. The key to mastering this process is awareness and intention. When you dare to believe in your vision and take inspired action, the life you desire becomes inevitable. So, are you ready to dare to habit and create your reality? The cycle starts with you.