If you have a habit that you desperately want conquered, read this article to find two powerful but easy tips to help you reclaim your life. You want this habit conquered because it hurts your quality of life, yet it sticks around. Every Sunday night you resolve, this week will be not the same! But by Monday afternoon, resolve has lost and it has returned.
You easily work well at your job, or shine in your classes. You can hit a baseball out of the park, or expertly mother kids, and yet, this one thing controls you like a dog on a leash. You are afraid you will never be fully in charge of your life. And you feel confused and wonder...what on earth is wrong with me? By the time you are finished reading this article you will have an extra tool to help you handle your habit.
I am too familiar with this, because I used to go through embarrassment from habitual lateness. It caused serious problems: conflict on the job, disappointed friends, and problems in school. I just never got where I was supposed to be on time. When my best friend told me once she lied about when we were supposed to meet, I knew something had to be done. There is a remedy, found in two simple tricks.
First Habit Busting Tip -
Use your power of clear thinking to look at the habit square on. Get yourself a small journal and sit silently. Make two columns. One says, Reward. The other, Cost. Time to be straightforward!
Start with the Reward column. Think back. When did the habit begin? What was going on in your life at the time? How did the habit help? And likely it did, in some way, ease a situation. Zero in on what is going on now when the habit starts. Is the trigger the same? What is the payoff? It is liberating to shine a light on this hidden place in our psyche.
Now, to the Cost column. List the miseries from the habit. Embarrassment? Loss of self respect? The respect of others? Time wasted, or money? Health effects? Your achievements? Your relationships?
You likely see that costs outweigh benefits. You've got a fresh perspective now, and can start to come up with solutions. Begin keeping a dated record of when the habit occurs, and what triggers it. You will become more aware of your triggers.
Second Habit Busting Tip -
New journal page. New Habits to Replace the Old.
What can you cultivate to short circuit the undesired habit, that counteracts the trigger? Drink a glass of water? Take a walk? Play with your pet? Sing a song? Embrace your child? Call a friend? Enjoy a piece of fruit? Floss your pearly whites? You will realize what a affirmative, life-affirming alternate habit is.
Alert your friends and family to support you. Stay away when at all possible from triggers. And if you are afraid you aren't able make it through alone, look for support, like a minister, group, counselor, or doctor. Above all, be kind and gentle to yourself and go slowly.
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