How To Break A Habit
Posted by
patrick
In our quest to break habits, it is very important to understand that a habit actually functions to meet one of our needs. That is how it came into being in the first place. No matter how negative or destructive a habit may be, we developed that habit to use it for something.
Lets look at an example of a function of a habit. Many people have the bad habit of biting their fingernails. By looking deeper, we can see that usually people bite fingernails when they are feeling anxious, nervous or uncomfortable. Doing that helps them release those emotions and makes them feel better. So that is that is the actual function of the habit of biting fingernails.
When you try to break a habit without getting a replacement to perform its function, you will eventually go back to the old habit. Such as in the biting fingernails example, if you do not have an alternative method to release your emotions of nervousness etc, youll eventually go back to biting fingernails.
That is why you need to identify the function and purpose of a particular habit. What did that habit give you on a physical, psychological and emotional level? Which needs did it meet? How is it meeting those needs?
Understand that by kicking the habit, youre gonna lose all these things. When that happens and theres no alternative to replace it, our being will yearn to have it back on an unconscious level. It is at this time that the habit takes the chance to re-establish itself.
We can discover the function of a habit by recognizing its details and identifying recurring patterns of the habit. These patterns can help identify the possible purpose and function of a particular habit.
In identifying the patterns of a habit, you can ask questions such as when do you usually do the habit; what other thing were you doing at the time; where were you; who were you with; what happened before you did the habit; what time of the day was it etc.
Once you have identified the function of the habit and the need that is being met by it, then find an alternative to replace it. Think of an effective way to meet that need and use it whenever you become aware of the need for it. For example the next time you become nervous, instead of biting fingernails, try doing breathing exercises that will calm the body down.
To effectively kick a bad habit that will last in the long term, we need to we have an adequate and effective replacement that will ensure that we do not go back to doing the old habit.
Lets look at an example of a function of a habit. Many people have the bad habit of biting their fingernails. By looking deeper, we can see that usually people bite fingernails when they are feeling anxious, nervous or uncomfortable. Doing that helps them release those emotions and makes them feel better. So that is that is the actual function of the habit of biting fingernails.
When you try to break a habit without getting a replacement to perform its function, you will eventually go back to the old habit. Such as in the biting fingernails example, if you do not have an alternative method to release your emotions of nervousness etc, youll eventually go back to biting fingernails.
That is why you need to identify the function and purpose of a particular habit. What did that habit give you on a physical, psychological and emotional level? Which needs did it meet? How is it meeting those needs?
Understand that by kicking the habit, youre gonna lose all these things. When that happens and theres no alternative to replace it, our being will yearn to have it back on an unconscious level. It is at this time that the habit takes the chance to re-establish itself.
We can discover the function of a habit by recognizing its details and identifying recurring patterns of the habit. These patterns can help identify the possible purpose and function of a particular habit.
In identifying the patterns of a habit, you can ask questions such as when do you usually do the habit; what other thing were you doing at the time; where were you; who were you with; what happened before you did the habit; what time of the day was it etc.
Once you have identified the function of the habit and the need that is being met by it, then find an alternative to replace it. Think of an effective way to meet that need and use it whenever you become aware of the need for it. For example the next time you become nervous, instead of biting fingernails, try doing breathing exercises that will calm the body down.
To effectively kick a bad habit that will last in the long term, we need to we have an adequate and effective replacement that will ensure that we do not go back to doing the old habit.
About the Author:
Author Ethan Beh is a business consultant and personal development enthusiast who has spent many years seeking, learning and practicing the best personal development techniques available. Check out his website for more resource which includes changing a habit.
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