Break an Unwanted Habit

“Old habits die hard, yet with persistence they can and will be broken.”

It does take the unconscious mind a minimum of 30 days to beak an unwanted habit, and more if you’re wanting to quit smoking. On the contrary 30 days is not a long time. Your body needs to adjust to a new habit and way of living. All habits started consciously (whether constructive or otherwise) and then the unconscious mind takes over. This leads onto the first step to breaking an unwanted habit...



Step 1: Your Reasons Why

Before you start the process of breaking an unwanted habit, you need to be crystal clear as to why you want to break such an unwanted habit. What benefits will breaking an unwanted habit give you? For example you might want to give up smoking because of the prsistent cough, the nasty smell and humiliation by work colleagues. The benefits to you of no longer being a non-smoker in such instances could be being healthier, not smelling like an ashtray and actually being taken seriously and accepted at your workplace again. Write these reasons and benefits down.



STEP 2: Put Your New Habit Into Your Diary

Set yourself daily reminders to act on a certain habit, from taking your multi-vitamins instead of having your morning cigarette. That way you're training yourself (with a bit of willpower, we all have it) to be a healthy person. Once you have taken those multi-vitamins every morning for 30 days straight, you will engage in such a habit automatically. Why? Your mind is now used to it. The writer was not a smoker, however in the image above the writer started taking a couple of multi-vitamins a month ago, and she now enjoys clearer skin and more energy. These bottles almost empty is beginning to show that the previous unwanted habit of not taking these multi-vitamins has been broken.



Step 3: Reward Milestones

You need to go out and celebrate your success without reverting back to your old habit. You need to reward yourself for a job well done. This reward can be as simple as spending some extra time at the beach or giving yourself an extra day off. The reward needs to be meaningful for you.

Step 4: Constant Repetition

With breaking an unwanted habit and adopting a new wanted habit in its place, you need to engage in your new habit consistently for that new habit to be accepted. Clear skin won’t appear like magic with one multi-vitamin for instance; these multi-vitamins need to be taken every day. No different to if you currently work for someone else and you want to work for yourself. Instead of plonking yourself in front of the couch and watching TV as soon as you get home from work; instead use that time consistently to work on that new business venture of yours, and before you know it you will be out of the rat race and reaping the rewards of self employment. You need to do this regardless as to how tired or ill you might be at the time. New habits need to be adopted consistently on a daily basis for at least 30 days straight for them to be automatic to you.



Step 5: Reflection

Every couple of days reflect on the changes in yourself and in your life as a result of your new habit change to ensure you’re on track. If you’re not on track, it is okay to start again and make any adjustments. What will be the benefits of this new habit? What will the old unwanted habit cost me financially and otherwise should I continue with it? Reflection through asking qulity questions when making life changes is paramount.



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#personal_development
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#life_skills


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