It’s been well over four months since most set their New Year’s resolutions. No matter what the objective, the keys were to aim for something attainable, start small and even try and get friends or family in on the same goal. All help in making any kind of lifestyle change become a habit easier.

Whether it was to eat healthier, exercise more or to save more money, it takes a long time to form a habit. University College London health psychology researcher Phillippa Lally conducted a study to determine how long it takes a habit to form. The study, published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, concluded that, on average, it takes almost nine weeks for a new habit to become regular behavior.

Some variables that accompanied that were, of course, the person in question. But it also comes down to how much of a change the new habit is. It’s easier to do something like drink a cup of water before bed every night than it is to make spending a half an hour in the gym every morning a habit.

That said, it can take anywhere from two to eight months to incorporate a new behavior into one’s daily life. It’s been nearly five months since resolutions were set, making now a good time to step back and assess habit formation. Is going for a jog every morning before work becoming automatic? It doesn’t have to be at this point, but if it’s feeling less forced then that’s a good sign.

As April comes to a close shortly, some habits may be completely formed. Some may be still forming. The important thing is taking it day by day without getting discouraged. The aforementioned study also concluded that the occasional misstep in a new habit had no measurable impact. Messing up here and there is natural and should not be any kind of setback.

Finally, if goals have been abandoned as they often are, that doesn’t mean all hope is lost until next year. There’s never a bad time to start on that habit-forming path.

If goals are oriented toward fitness, Beaufort County Community College’s Beau-Fitt program offers a 1-mile trail with exercise equipment. Senior citizens focused on healthier eating may take advantage of programs offered across Beaufort County. The “Growing a Fit Community” program is held every Tuesday and Thursday at 150 Swamp Road in Pantego.