3 Ways To Change A Habit
Habits are interesting creatures. Sometimes they develop and you have to work at keeping them ticking on and other times they fall into place. Habits can be something we take pride in like getting up early, feeling energised and being productive for the first few hours of your morning or habits can be something that you prefer to change like staying up too late at night and not being able to be your best self in the morning.
A habit is a routine or behaviour that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously. To start new healthier habits that will bring you happiness, you will usually have to change something you are currently doing to whatever new habit it is you want to implement to be able to reach your goal.
When you want to change a habit, the change part is the most difficult. To change a habit, you have to be very mindful of what it is you want to accomplish and be aware of what might trip you up at the beginning. The following are three ways to help you change a habit.
3 Ways To Change A Habit
Do It For You
Ask yourself these questions: What do I want to change and why do I want to change it? I find it best to achieve a new habit if the reasons you are wanting to implement this habit is for you. Doing things that are for yourself and that align your heart and head are easier to follow through with.
Distract Your Habit
Replace actions with different actions or thoughts with different thoughts when it comes to habits that you want to change—especially if you will be drastically changing the habit.
If you want to stop smoking, don’t try and quit without choosing something to take the place of the action of smoking. You can replace the act of smoking with something like making yourself a cup of tea throughout the day. This way the action of smoking where you may have got up from what you were doing to go outside and smoke is replaced with getting up and making yourself a cup of tea. Then, you can still go outside or stay inside to enjoy that cup of tea and still have some alone time and time to think which is said to be the hardest part of giving up smoking for majority of smokers. If you cut out the act of smoking and try to carry ono your day without filling the action with another action, you will be less likely to change your habit.
Progress Over Perfection
No one is perfect. To make a change, it will not always be easy. Understand you may falter and when you do forgive yourself and get back on your habit as soon as possible. Progressing a little each day and understanding nothing will be perfect. If something goes wrong on a Wednesday, don’t wait until Monday to start over start again Wednesday night or Thursday morning. Give yourself a pat on the back and know its ok to not be perfect. It’s not ok to think you have failed and cannot continue on from a moment of weakness. Remind yourself that changing a habit takes time, patience and being kind to yourself.
Are keen to implement some healthier habits but not quite sure where to start?
Don’t let your fear get in your way. If you are keen to put in pace some healthier habits for YOU, click below to sign up for a complimentary Strategy Session.
This session will take you through these tips to start and make sure you can set and achieve your happier, healthier goals. The outcome will be about you being on your way to knowing who you are, knowing what change you want and starting the change with the right motivation and accountability to kick any self-doubt to the curb.
