Longstanding beneficial habits are the primary support of wellbeing

Wellbeing is not a short-term achievement. It is earned and supported by our longstanding habits.

For example, consider the risk of developing cancer. There are broadly three categories of risk factors.

One: inherited genetics. This accounts for around 5-10% of the risk.

Two: modifiable risk factors. This is estimated to account for 35-50% of the risk.

Three: the remaining contribution of perhaps 40% from intrinsic risk factors. Our DNA mutates all the time spontaneously at a low rate, errors occur during DNA replication, and reactive oxygen species generated by cell metabolism create damage too.

Of course, these are average estimates across some research studies, and these three factors overlap all the time (they are not independent of each other). Cancer develops over many years because of all of them.

Note that a substantial component of the risk arises from modifiable lifestyle factors. This category includes smoking, alcohol, nutrition, obesity, stress, and more.

The impact of these lifestyle factors is cumulative; it compounds over a long time. As a result, making a beneficial lifestyle change for just a few weeks or even a few months is not likely to influence cancer risk materially. But the same change, if sustained for many years, does make a significant difference. Especially when multiple positive changes synergize. Hence the importance of wellbeing as habit.

Developing these habits does not need to be taxing and unpleasant. It should not be a net negative in our lives, for it will never be sustainable if it feels like a burden every day. If we build knowledge, motivation, and skills in simple and sustainable ways, we will succeed in creating long-term change.

To progress in this direction, we systematization is essential: laying out the domains of wellbeing, the skills relevant to us, the reasons and benefits to motivate ourselves, and the techniques to implement them in our life. (This is what the Svastha wellbeing system does.)

With the right knowledge and positive persistence, long-term change becomes doable. This is a key purpose of a structured and smart approach to wellbeing: to make it accessible and achievable.