[ad_1]
Everyone has their fair share of flaws and bad habits. Not everyone wants to improve them, but if you do, congratulations! Now you can start an empowerment journey to improve and develop good habits.
Of course, it is much easier said than done. Habits tend to stick to you and can sometimes seem to be done by reflex. To help you, here’s how a life coach reveals 4 powerful ways to break free from bad habits.
1. Define
It sounds silly, but when solving any problem, you need to not only admit that you have that problem, but specifically define what it is. The brain benefits significantly from having something concrete and easily understandable to grasp. Here are some ways you can define a bad habit:
Recognize your bad habit
The first step in solving any problem is to recognize that the problem exists actively. The website of Confidence and Emotional Wellness Coach Nicky Massyn points out that you need to recognize something before you can work on fixing it, and he’s right! You can’t fix something that you won’t admit is there in the first place. If you feel embarrassed about the bad habit, positively remind yourself that this act of recognition is a great advance in your self-improvement.
· Specifically define the problem habit
It’s easy to say, “I need more sleep,” but that’s not concrete enough to define your bad habits. Author and licensed clinical social worker with specializations in supervision and therapy training, Robert Taibbi, states that it will be more difficult to assimilate and change habits if you do not mention specific behaviors. For example, instead of saying, “I need more sleep,” say, “I need to stop watching TV after dinner.” This is clear and concrete, with no way to misinterpret its own meaning.
Identify triggers
What are the things that commonly cause you to have bad habits? Taibbi recommends identifying each trigger so that you can prepare for them and offer resistance when they start attacking. For example, anxiety can trigger your urge to smoke, or seeing a packet of potato chips will make you eat the whole bag. Being aware of your triggers is also a kind of mindfulness, since it makes you take note of your actions in the present in a positive way, allowing you to be more in touch with yourself and your mind. Better yet, mindfulness has been shown to work in addiction recovery, so identifying triggers has multiple benefits in this endeavor.
Determine why you want to change
If you want to stay motivated to change your bad habits, then you need to know why you are doing it in the first place. It is much easier to alter habits when you perceive a possible change as positive, beneficial or valuable in some way. So please list all the reasons this change is necessary for you and add to that list as time goes on. You can even carry the list with you at all times to better stay motivated, and it’s a great way to keep your priorities fresh and at the forefront of your mind.
2. Visualize success
Display In reality, it is so powerful that it can be as successful as physical practice in achieving certain standards or goals. Studies They have found that you can gain strength and skill through strong visualization in quite surprising ways.
This is why imagining success can be so important and can be the best kind of self-fulfilling prophecy. Here are some ways to properly incorporate the vision of success into your life:
Visualize your good habits
Imagine putting your good habits into practice. Imagine its amazing effects on your life and on the world. Now imagine how much better you will feel once they are in action. This kind of visualization can work wonders, says Massyn’s website. However, you must be consistent with that. Spend a little time each day with your eyes closed, imagining the results of your success and your actions to achieve that success. The mind is a powerful thing and can be used in this way to stimulate it!
Develop a powerful intrinsic motivation
Director of the Laboratory of Social and Affective Neuroscience Elliot BerkmanDirector of the Laboratory for Social and Affective Neuroscience at the University of Oregon, says that many bad habits, when replaced by good ones, will retain a stronger influence on you than their positive replacements. This is because bad habits have stronger and more tangible rewards for the brain, while their replacements will be mere weak substitutes. That’s why looking for a stronger intrinsic motivation and visualizing it well can help you. Instead of thinking about how nicotine gum is healthier for you than cigarettes, think about the many extra years you can spend with your loved ones if you keep your lungs healthy. That kind of intrinsic motivation it is significantly more effective than the theoretical assumptions.
Be patient through visualization
It’s easy to get discouraged when results don’t come as fast as you’d like. In these situations, it is important not to lose hope. Continually visualizing your success is a great way to satisfy some of that desire within you, and it reminds you of what you are working towards. Taibbi adds that you shouldn’t punish yourself for slips and mistakes in your quest to break bad habits either: do things step by step. Remember the study saying that it takes 21 days to break a habit was referring to the act of getting used to a new look. Actively changing a bad habit will probably take longer than that!
3. Plan and set goals
Breaking bad habits is a very, very big undertaking. It can seem overwhelming, so you need to break your goals down into clear and concise goals. Each goal should be specific, detailed, and easy to follow, which will ultimately lead to your “final” long-term goal. Here are some tips for this process:
Develop healthy schedules and expectations
Your goals for breaking your bad habits should be clear and achievable. You should have a timeline for when you want to achieve certain milestones on those goals. Each “deadline” and attached expectation should be challenging yet realistic, allowing you to push yourself to the best of your abilities without forcing you to aim for lofty, unattainable goals.
Leave reminders
When you start trying to break and replace a habit, it’s easy to forget that you are supposed to make changes. That’s why leaving reminders can be a great way to help you get into the swing of things early in your efforts. Leave a sticky note on the doors to remind you to turn off the lights you forgot. Set alarms on your phone when it’s time to turn off devices, go to bed, or go to the gym. Adding reminders to your first improvement plans is a positive way to ensure that you are well equipped to challenge your new habits.
Track your progress
Develop a measurable way to track your improvement in your efforts to break bad habits. It may be more difficult to track this clearly because it is a more abstract goal, but it is certainly doable. If you want break the smoking habit, write down every day how many days you are clean. And if you’re trying to break a bad eating habit, keep track of your meals. If you are trying to learn how to change your lack of gratitude, write down the things you are grateful for and other notable things you did each day. Tracking your progress gives you a clear view of your progress, motivates you with the steps forward you take, and shows you that what you are doing is paying off.
4. Give yourself the support you need
There’s one thing you can forget in your equation for breaking bad habits – that you deserve support in finding your way through this roadblock. You are worthy of that support, even if it is only from you.
Without support, you may feel unmotivated and uninspired to move on, and you may even feel guilty or think negatively about your progress. Worse still, you can end up completely burned.
Use positive affirmations
When encouraging yourself to achieve your goals, try using positive statements to motivate you. Instead of getting discouraged and engaging in the negative aspects of self-talk, be kind to yourself and affirm yourself with positive words. Things like “I overcome bad habits”, “I eat healthy” and “I am strong and capable” can change the way you think and help you get through the most difficult times.
Use rewards as motivation and move on
Sometimes rewarding yourself for small achievements can help motivate keep going. That little promise of something good and it boosts your positive thinking enough to get you to your next milestone. The rewards don’t have to be big or expensive. They can be little treats that you will enjoy, like buying a nice dessert or a new book or spending the night soaking in a nice bath. Erika Myers Licensed Professional Counselor recommends that you celebrate all your victories, even the smallest ones. You don’t have to run a full marathon to celebrate that you can run a mile!
Seek outside support
You don’t have to do everything alone. Suppose you are in a difficult situation: connect a friend to work on your goals with you. They can share stories and inspire each other to work towards better habits. Of course, you can also opt for more professional forms of help, such as speaking with a therapist or a similar mental health expert, Taibbi says. If this is something you have access to, it can make a huge difference and provide you with unbiased advice and perspectives.
Final thoughts on some powerful ways to break free from bad habits
Bad habits it can be difficult to break. But if you want to successfully nullify the negative with the positive, you must begin to find methods to do so. These powerful ways can help you make great progress in breaking free from your worst habits. Take advantage of them and you will feel empowered and motivated to make good changes in your life.
[ad_2]
source material