How to Break Up with a Bad Habit

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We all have some kind of bad habit, even though we may not like to admit it! But sometimes our bad habits are impacting our quality of life and we need to do something about it.

Despite perhaps being easily formed, often our bad habits are difficult to break, making it feel like we're stuck in these unwanted habits that we can't seem to get out of. 

We form our habits by repeating the same patterns of behaviour over and over again until the behaviour becomes automatic, and it's this repetition thats wired into the brain that means the brain doesn't have to think about it anymore, its set on auto-pilot.

So the key here, to breaking up with a bad habit, is to break the pattern of behaviour. You need to make the familiar, unfamiliar. 

Here are my 8 steps to follow when breaking up with your bad habit: 

  1. Identify the Bad Habit; what exactly is the pattern of behaviour that is no longer serving you? 
  2. Why is it no longer serving you? Get clear on why you no longer want this habit in your life.
  3. What do you want to replace the bad habit with instead? Visualise the new habit and notice how it feels?
  4. Practice interrupting the bad habit. Notice when you're about to engage in the behaviour and mindfully choose to do something different in that moment. A simple tweak can have a powerful impact.
  5. Take small steps. The small steps are what lead to the big changes.
  6. Get support. Surround yourself with the people who are going to fully support you. Or get professional support from someone who has the skills and expertise to guide you through a process. 
  7. Practice making the familiar, unfamiliar by changing up your routine. Engage in new behaviours that are more in line with how you want to feel.
  8. Persevere. Commit to breaking up with your habit for the longterm. Allow yourself to have some slip ups and use these as a learning curve - instead of a reason to give up. Ask yourself, what do I need to do differently going forward? 

The good thing to note here is that all bad habits can be changed! 

If you are seeking further support and guidance around changing unwanted habits please feel free to contact me below. 

With love and health

Tenille x 

 

Tenille Dore