5 super practical steps to break any habit

 

Overview 

Habits never truly disappear, rather they are replaced. Either good or bad, habits are an essential part of human life because they make up our daily routine. Interestingly, most of the decisions we make and the activities we carry out daily may seem like they are conscious decisions but they are habitual, in fact, over 45% of them are. Good habits (reading, cleaning, healthy eating) make us effective and happy while bad habits (nail-biting, gambling, smoking) drain us and leave us feeling miserable. Habits and addiction can overlap in many similar ways but the line that separates them is quite unclear and while habits can be mild, addictions are quite extreme as the victim would go to any length to satisfy a craving even if it means inflicting harm on themselves (substance abuse, alcohol, smoking).

Addiction is bad for both the victim and the people around them.

According to an article by Forbes on the difference between habits and addiction, bad habits are simply things we wish we didn’t do. Although, all bad habits are not equal; Nail-biting is an annoying and embarrassing bad habit but smoking is a habit that is significantly worse for our health. 

Bad habits are progressively destructive and this is because once the pattern starts, it is very difficult to stop which could lead to low self-esteem and depression if not properly managed. 

"All bad habits start slowly and gradually and before you know you have the habit, the habit has you.” 

                                         -Zig Ziglar.

 The way out:

1. Be true to yourself: Admitting you have a problem you're struggling with Is the first step in the direction of freedom. This way, you create self-awareness and your mind becomes open to solutions to help you overcome the bad habit.

2. Identify triggers: Carefully observe what triggers your habit. Nail-biting starts by feeling the rough ridges of your nail and the need to smoothen it with the teeth, this leads to the initial biting which gives a temporary feeling of satisfaction but the cycle is then repeated and it goes on and on. A person feels bored or stressed and turns to smoke, then goes back to smoking every time the emotion surfaces again and again. Observing what triggers a bad habit would help you avoid it.

3. Positive resolution: Have a 'can do' mindset and make up your mind to overcome the bad habit regardless of any setback you might face while doing so. The truth is, there will be a few times you would be caught up in the loop unconsciously along the way but, this Is totally normal. The habit took you months to master and it would take an almost equal amount of time to overcome it but with strong will and determination, you'll win.

4. Note your progress: Jotting down your progress rate and measuring it by the number of days you were able to stay off the habit will go a long way in reinforcing your subconscious to identify how dissatisfied you are with the habit and help you become more self-aware.

5. Replace bad habits: Replacing your bad, unhealthy habit with a good and healthy one is the final step in totally overcoming a bad habit. Rather than smoothen your nail ridges with your teeth, use a nail clip and file your nails if you need to. Replace smoking out of boredom or stress with physical activity (exercise), the reward your brain craves is a distraction and any form of distraction will suffice.

Conclusion

Our habits shape our lives, they can either make or break us. As bad habits interrupt lives and endanger health, good habits improve health, efficiency and overall fulfilment. You may wonder why you still struggle with your bad habit. The application of these 5 points stated above guarantees a 99% success rate. Start now!

Have you struggled with a bad habit before? How did you overcome it?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below :)