Think of just one thing you do that has become a habit. It could be something you repeat every minute or every hour.
It could be something you do weekly, monthly or yearly. You may hate doing it or you might immensely enjoy it!
But now, this habit is causing problems for you or someone you are close to.
If you are not sure your habit is a problem, please answer, “yes” or “no,” to each of the four questions below.
- Has someone asked you more than once to stop doing it?
- Is it a problem for someone else that you know well?
- Does it adversely affect your health?
- When you are not doing it, or you constantly thinking about it?
If you answered, “Yes,” to at least one of the above questions, you could be stuck in a bad habit.
Without a doubt, breaking a bad habit is difficult. Even worse, the longer you’ve practiced the habit, the harder it is to stop doing it.
But here’s the good news! You can break that bad habit. Here are 3 steps to get you started.
1. Awareness.
For most of us, our bad habits are obvious. But for others, there is this thing called, “denial.”
You’ve taken the quiz above. You answered, “Yes,” to one question. Are you still not convinced? Talk it over with your loved ones. They will tell you the truth. Believe them.
2. Acknowledge.
Now that you are aware of your bad habit, own up to it. Say to yourself, “I have a problem with _______. I want to stop doing this.” Repeat this often each day until it sinks in. But please, do not stop here.
Next, you must consent with yourself to change. Nothing can happen if you don’t commit yourself to making a change. Go all in! You deserve a better life.
3. Action.
Develop a plan. Do not try to solve all your problems at once. Start with your most serious, bad habit. After you experience success with it, move on to the next issue.
It is essential to replace the unhealthy habit with a healthy one. Some examples are: pausing before speaking, drinking water instead of snacking, walking instead of watching television. Practice is the key!
Educate yourself. A good place to start is to read my previous post, My Cycle of Healing for Toxic Fear. The principles discussed there can work for here.
Bad habits can be outward signs of underlying emotional problems. Get help from your doctor, pastor, or support groups. You don’t have to do this alone.
Transformation is a life-long journey. Be encouraged. You are already making your life better. Talk to us about your success or problems by leaving a comment below. We love sharing with you.
Here are some other online resources on changing bad habits that I use and find very helpful.
- James Clear. How to Break A Bad Habit (and Replace It With A Good One). http://jamesclear.com/how-to-break-a-bad-habit.
- WebMD. 3 Easy Steps to Breaking Bad Habits. http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/3-easy-steps-to-breaking-bad-habits
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