One Habit at a Time: How Monthly Habits Create Lifelong Rhythms

It's never too late to start for 2025!

Mar 30, 2025

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." – Aristotle

Habits matter because they shape our days, they dictate what’s important to us, and they help us become the women we want to be!

It’s no secret how much I love iPhone notes, and keeping track of goals, activities, words, ideas throughout the year. One of the first notes I put in my “2025” folder was titled “goals/habits”. My plan for this year was to create and work on ONE habit a month for all 12 months of the year so I could end the year with 12 new habits.

I first heard about this idea from my bestie, Lesley, who was inspired by Jesse Itzler. Whether you consider yourself a "goals girl" or not, this approach is so much more attainable and sustainable than other methods.

There are countless ways to build and sustain habits, and I’ve tried many of them:

Setting New Year’s resolutions in January
Breaking goals into 90-day increments
Doing a challenge like 75 Hard, which focuses on six+ habits at a time for 75 days
Setting one habit per month and letting them compound

Each method has served me in different seasons of life, but right now, focusing on one habit at a time is what works best for me.

As a recovering perfectionist, I used to want to change everything all at once. But the problem? I would burn out. I’d fall behind on my goals and eventually give up because it felt overwhelming. What I’ve learned is that I want to build sustainable rhythms—habits that become second nature. But that doesn’t happen automatically; it starts with intentional repetition.

✿How Habits Become Rhythms

Systems become habits, and over time, habits become rhythms.

The system is choosing one habit to focus on each month.
The habit is what you’re actively working on.
The rhythm is when that habit becomes a natural part of your life.

Just to give you an example of how this practically looks: At first, drinking water daily felt like a checklist item. Now, I don’t even think about it—I just reach for my water first thing in the morning.

You might be saying, “ok Wynne but where do I start?”

✿Where to Start

Start with a brainstorming session! Open your notes app or grab a journal and list out potential habits based on your goals for the year. Do you want to focus on health, personal development, relationships, home, fun, or creativity?

Here are some ideas from my own 2025 habit list:

Dry month (no alcohol)
No spend month
No soda
Morning sun exposure
Phone down from 8 PM to 8 AM
10K steps daily
Limited daily social media time
Tracking Weight Watchers points
Drinking half my body weight in ounces of water

Another great brainstorming tool? ChatGPT! I asked it for ideas to share with you, and here’s what it came up with:

✿Personal Well-Being & Growth

Daily Quiet Time – A few moments each morning or night for prayer, reflection, or journaling.
Hydration Habit – Drinking enough water every day, maybe starting with a full glass in the morning.
10-Minute Movement – A short but consistent movement practice like stretching, yoga, or a quick walk.
Reading for Pleasure – Setting aside time for a book that’s just for fun, even if it’s just 10 minutes a day.
Phone-Free Mornings/Nights – Creating boundaries around screen time to start or end the day more intentionally.

✿Motherhood & Family Rhythms

One-on-One Time with Each Child – Even just 10-15 minutes of focused connection per day or week.
Decluttering One Small Space Weekly – Tackling one drawer, one shelf, or one section at a time.
Tech-Free Family Meal or Night – A habit of having screen-free meals or a designated unplugged evening.
Prepping for the Next Day at Night – Laying out clothes, packing lunches, or setting up the coffee maker for a smoother morning.
Daily Affection & Encouragement – A habit of hugging, complimenting, or affirming family members daily.

✿Home & Organization

The 10-Minute Tidy – A daily reset to keep things from spiraling out of control.
Laundry Routine Reset – A new approach, like one load a day or a designated laundry day.
Grocery Shopping & Meal Planning Habit – Streamlining meal planning and grocery runs for ease.
Sunday Reset – A weekly habit to set up the week ahead with planning, tidying, and meal prep.
Inbox Zero or Digital Declutter – Tackling emails, photos, and digital files regularly.

✿Creativity & Fun

Daily (or Weekly) Creative Practice – Writing, painting, photography—something for pure joy.
Listening to More Music & Less Noise – Curating playlists and replacing mindless scrolling with intentional listening.
Monthly Mom’s Night or Solo Date – A habit of making space for connection or solitude.
Trying a New Recipe Each Week – Bringing more variety and excitement to meals.
Morning or Evening Rituals – A habit that makes mornings or nights feel more sacred and grounding.

The beautiful thing about brainstorming like this is that it gives you a starting point. The habit you choose doesn’t have to be permanent; you can tweak it to fit your lifestyle.

I also like to get curious and ask myself questions, “what if I considered….”

I also am basing my monthly habits around the season: both physical outside, and my current life season. Example: I have really been wanting to do a “morning sun” habit challenge where I go outside and get that morning sun on my face, but it’s either been rainy/cloudy in the mornings, or by the time the sun comes up I am already on with my day. So I’ll wait until later in the year to do this. Here is a screen shot of my iPhone note so you can see how I am tracking my habits by month and my ideas. It’s pretty simple!

✿Choosing a Habit for April

Right now, I’m deciding between three options for April:

Morning sun exposure
Limited social media time
Tracking on Weight Watchers (with my friends Lesley and Kelsey!)

Since I struggled to decide, I asked ChatGPT to help me make a pro/con list. Sometimes, an outside perspective helps clarify things!

It helped me see that the one I feel the most resistance to is reducing social media, which probably means it’s the one I need most.

✿The Goal is Progress, Not Perfection

If you want to make a positive change in your life, it starts with setting the intention.

Tell some friends!
Create accountability!
Print out a habit tracker and check off your daily progress!

This is the habit tracker I’ve been using the past two yearsI print one out each month, fill it in every Sunday, and hang it by my coffee maker with a pen for easy tracking.

The best part? As I move into April, I can check off this month’s habit plus the habits I’ve already built from January-March. They compound over time. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about making consistent progress.

Now, I’d love to hear from you!

Hit reply or share in the comments and tell me your habit for April—I’d love to cheer you on!

Wynne Elder

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