How to Craft a Daily Well-Being Practice That Actually Sticks
Your Well-Being Plan Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All—Here’s How to Make It Yours
Summer is winding down. Schools are restarting. Fall is around the corner but not quite here. This transition is a perfect time to ask: How can I set myself up to feel balanced, energized, and well this season?
I’m talking about well-being.
I’ve written in the past about why well-being is crucial—especially now as stress levels rise and engagement drops. Investing in your well-being isn’t fluff. It’s the foundation that helps you show up as your best self at work and at home.
When you’re in a state of well-being, you’re not depleted. You’re not reactive. You’re not running on fumes. Instead, you’re calm, focused, and capable of handling life’s challenges.
This is the difference between your 1.0 self and your 2.0 self.
1.0 Self: Rushed, distracted, stressed, defensive. Habits like doom scrolling, skipping exercise, eating processed food, or always playing catch-up.
2.0 Self: Calm, open, energized, in flow. Flourishing because you’ve invested in habits that support your brain and body.
As James Garrett from Brain by Design says, when you’re in your 2.0 self, you’re operating at peak.
So how do you get there? By making what I’ll call well-being investments—practices that boost your mental energy and help rewire your brain for balance and resilience.
Step 1: Choose Your Well-Being Investments
Your brain doesn’t change because of who you are—it changes because of what you do. To get into that 2.0 state, you need to deliberately create habits that support well-being.
Think of them as mental energy deposits that pay dividends over time. These can be simple but powerful practices like:
30 minutes of movement (walking, stretching, or exercise)
20-minute afternoon nap
Meditation or deep breathing
Connection with friends or family
Learning or reading something uplifting
Listening to calming music
Laughter or play
These aren’t luxuries—they’re investments that shift you into your 2.0 brain.
Again, your brain doesn’t care what you think—it only cares what you do. Telling yourself “I should start meditating” doesn’t matter. Actually sitting down for three minutes to breathe does. Even the smallest action begins to carve a new pathway.
Step 2: Make Habits Work for You
Here’s the catch: your brain is designed to make life easy by creating habits. Most of what you do every day—driving, checking email, brushing your teeth—runs on autopilot. That’s efficient, but it means you’ll need to consciously install the habits you want to keep.
The good news? Brains are neuroplastic. That saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”? Totally false. You can change your brain at any age. But you need to work with the way habits actually form.
Research shows it takes on average 66 days to form a new habit. Some habits will take less time. Others will more time. But once you make that investment your brain will start driving the show. Think of it like sledding down a snowy hill—at first the path is hard to carve, but over time the groove gets deeper and smoother until the sled just runs on its own.
Harder, more complex habits = more time
Simpler habits = less time
Motivation and willpower aren’t reliable—systems and repetition are
So, don’t try to overhaul your life in one go. Start small, choose one or two habits, and commit to the long game.
Step 3: Stack the Deck in Your Favor
Habits stick when you make them as easy as possible. Here are a few practical strategies:
Habit stacking: Attach a new habit to something you already do. (Example: “After I brush my teeth, I’ll do two minutes of breathing.”)
Environmental cues: Place visual reminders where you need them. (Running shoes by the door, water bottle on your desk.)
Lower the barrier: Make it ridiculously easy. (Instead of committing to a 60-minute workout, start with 3 minutes of activity. Better to do 3 minutes than nothing.)
Track progress: Use checkmarks, apps, or sticky notes—whatever helps you see the groove forming.
Celebrate wins: Small celebrations help reinforce your brain’s reward system.
Step 4: Stay Patient, Reap the Dividends
Here’s the truth: building habits is hard at first. Your brain resists because it prefers efficiency. But the work you put in pays off forever.
The reward is massive. You’ll shift from 1.0 to 2.0 more often. You’ll feel calmer, more resilient, more energized. You’ll build an architecture for your days that supports—not sabotages—your well-being.
And when stress inevitably shows up, you’ll have the tools and brain wiring to handle it.
Final Thought
You don’t need to do everything at once. Pick one habit. Start today. Stick with it for 66 days.
Because your well-being plan isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s yours to design. And with each small investment—each action—you’re building the life and the brain that help you thrive.