Our habits make our days and therefore our lives, and if we’re not careful about which habits we allow ourselves, some can affect us in a negative way. Breaking bad habits is not too difficult if you have the right tools. Here are three ways that always work.
Awareness
You may not even be aware that you have a bad habit. If you’re constantly telling yourself that you don’t spend that much time on social media daily or don’t drink too much soda, it’s time to start writing down your actions so you can know for sure. Simply start keeping track of the habit you don’t like without judging yourself and pretty soon you’ll be able to tell how bad it is.
Find the Trigger
There’s something that triggers every habit and you need to find the trigger for the specific bad habit. Do you always light a cigarette after a meal? Identify that as a trigger and find a replacement—for example, drink a glass of water after every meal.
Avoid Spiraling
It’s okay if you don’t succeed on your first try, just don’t spiral into more bad habits and completely give up. Allow yourself the opportunity to fail and start over as many times as needed. Every new day and every new hour is a new chance to do something good for yourself, but you need to give yourself permission first.
