No matter the habit, it is very hard to stop. A routine is a routine and your body and mind most likely do it without you even realizing. Think about some activities that you do every day. You most likely don’t think about – that coffee you grab in the morning. Do you want it or need it? It is just what you do. Your drive to work. Do you even realize what you are passing on the road, are you aware of the sights around you? I could go on but I will just touch on the habit that is hard to die in my life and some of you may relate. I like to have a glass of wine each night. Do I need it? Of course not, but it is nice and helps me unwind. When I don’t have it, I actually miss it, and that is when I realized it was a habit that needing breaking. I don’t like to need to anything, especially something that in the end can be a bad habit and prohibit other healthy choices.
You might have another vice. I have a husband who can break any habit just by saying “I am not doing that anymore.” Lucky him and his willpower but, if you are like me, it is much harder. Either way, here are some rules I have had to learn about myself that I thought I would pass on.
- In the beginning, admitting out loud to a spouse or close friend that you have the desire to change a habit but realize it is going to be hard can be helpful. Just admitting it out loud puts the ball in motion.
- Decide what you are going to do when your reflex kicks in. For me, it is pouring a large glass of seltzer in my favorite wine glass. (Tricking the brain into believing it is still getting what it wants.)
- Do step #2 until you are comfortable enough to let go.
- Lastly, find something else to focus on. Go for a walk, read a magazine, go to bed early, do whatever it takes.
In due time, the desire will fade and it will just be a memory of a bad habit.
Let’s set the record straight- everything in baby steps, moderation.
Jarrod’s willpower.
The best and worst thing.