Breaking Bad Habits

Bad habits, addiction and healthy habits are subconscious behaviors formed through repetition. People who have harmful health habits are aware of the consequences and risks to their well being. They feel the pinch on their wallets. They also know others get irritated and annoyed being around them.

But as long as they are reluctant to give up the bad practice, they'll allow their mental conditioning to have control over their lives. If they do quit, it's temporary. They'll get back to it again.

It takes about 21 days of determination and discipline to change or form a new habit. Some of these that have been ingrained so deep in the brain will take a lot longer. This is why there are support groups and tools to help people with addictive behavior. Some people can't do it alone or have no willpower.

List of bad habits...

1. Nail biting
   
   
   
2. Smoking
   
   
   
3. Borrowing money
   
   
   
4. Procrastination
   
   
   
5. Overeating or food addiction
   
   
   
6. Desiring something for nothing
   
   
   
7. Compulsive shopping
   
   
   
8. Binge drinking or habitual intoxication
   
   
   
9. Nose picking
   
   
   
10. Hair pulling and twirling
    
    
    
11. Gambling
    
    
    
12. Cracking knuckles
    
    
    
13. Drug addiction

You don't overeat, smoke or do your behavior all the time. Something has to trigger you to automatically get into it. The next time you feel the urge to do it, pause and become aware when and how the stimulus show up. What is it that makes you want to pick the cigarette, or whatever your addiction is?

Ask yourself what you are trying to gain by generating the behavior. Search for the answers from your unconscious. Listen carefully because your mind will come up with many answers and issues.

Find the inner motivation that is causing you to repeat your undesirable patterns. How do you see yourself if you were to continue doing your habit? Do you perceive a lot of pain disengaging or letting go of your addiction or attachment?

What kind of image do you see if you no longer have the habit? How would you feel when you have removed your addictive behavior? What kind of improvement in your performance can you see if you make a change?

Make a conscious effort to see your new image each time you feel like repeating your habit. You are telling your subconscious mind to cancel the old thought pattern and override it with the person you would like to become.

You are leading and directing the mind to change its thought patterns and developing a different thinking and reacting to the trigger.

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