Complimentary copy provided by Blogging for Books. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Here’s the bad news: habits are super fragile and far easier to break than to uphold.

Now here’s the good news: Gretchen Rubin has provided a wealth of insights into possible pitfalls as you work on developing new habits, as well as some strategies to keep on the straight and narrow, and she has done so for several different personality types.

As I read this book, though, I kept oscilating back and forth between feeling overwhelmed and feeling hopeful about new habits I’m trying to form (for me, that specifically means getting OUT of the habit of ingesting gross amounts of sugar and getting INTO the habit of eating cleaner).

On the flip side, I realized how important it is to be really choosy about what you decide to take up as a new habit. Since habit forming is so darn tricky, you really increase your odds of success by ony focusing on one new thing instead of trying to develop lots of new habits all at once. This has helped me set aside several other habits that I “should” be trying to form right now so that I can focus my efforts on the one I want to develop the most.

Better Than Before is a solidly good read, though perhaps a little annoying at times. Gretchen has an Upholder personality type, so she is very self-motivated and in some ways, her personality type has the easiest time forming new habits. I’m also an Upholder, so I’m fully aware of our tendency to be a smidge self-righteous, and that does come out in the book here and there. I think this is one to pick up from your library instead of purchasing for your permanent collection, though.

What are you reading right now? Any book recommendations for me?