How to Destroy Bad Habits

Have you got any bad habits? Of course, you have, no use pretending otherwise. It's natural and all part of being human. You may want to change them but be honest, you don't find it easy. This article will help you replace them with good habits, one habit at a time.

Quick Exercise

Fold your arms. You didn't have to think about doing that did you? You just did it. However, if I asked you which arm was on top, without checking, you probably wouldn't know. You have been so accustomed to folding your arms a certain way that it's become a habit. The question is, was it a habit which was consciously made or unconsciously made? In this case, I suspect it's the latter. So what, you might be thinking, it doesn't really matter which way I fold my arms. That may be true in this case; however it's not always so.

This Doesn't Feel Right

Now try folding your arms the other way - unless you're a very rare breed, I expect you found it awkward to do and somehow it just didn't feel right, did it? Because you have folded your arms multiple times in the same way, it has become effortless. Such is the almighty power of repetition. Now think about all the tasks you do on a daily basis from showering, getting dressed, making a cup of tea to more complex matters such as driving and you will find that you also do these in a certain way, without consciously thinking.

This is all fine and dandy when it comes to habits which are either good for you or neutral. The fact that you can do all these things so easily is beneficial because it saves you a lot of time and energy. Let's be honest, though, some of your habits are destructive, whether they be a habitual mode of thinking, poor diet, too much alcohol, little exercise or even not charging what you're worth!

Can You Do Something About It?

Yes of course you can. Is it easy? It depends on your definition of easy. It entails the same level of persistence required to create the unwanted habits. I have heard and read many times that it only takes 21 days to change a habit. So I decided to do a simple experiment on myself.

True Story

I noticed I was in the bad habit of leaving the toothpaste cap off and the toothbrush (electric) on the basin instead of putting it back on its charger. I decided I wanted to change this habit and set to it. It took me a good 6 weeks to crack it for the most part and even now, very occasionally, I forget to do it. What I will say, though, is that at the beginning I had to work harder to do this and gradually it's become easier. I don't think I'm totally unconsciously competent yet, which means that I'm still having to think about it. My conclusion is that it takes quite a bit longer to correct a habit than I have been led to believe.

The Practical Part

Let's cut to the chase then and create a strategy for changing habits which puts you in the driving seat.

1. Decide what habit you want to change.

2. Ask yourself on a scale of 1-10 how important it is for you to change that habit (with 1 being low and 10 being high). Providing your answer is 8 or above, you can kill it dead. You also need to make sure that it's really your decision and not someone else's. i.e. what's the benefit to you of changing it?

3. Choose the replacement behaviour.

4. Take the new action consciously.

5. Reward yourself in some way (preferably not with food or drink).

6. If you lapse, merely correct yourself without beating yourself up.

7. Keep practising until the new behaviour becomes permanent.

You can, of course, apply this process to any number of habits you want to change, one at a time.

And, as always, if you know someone who might benefit from this article, please do share it with them - they won't be mad at you for providing them with value. Promise!

https://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Destroy-Bad-Habits&id=9541312

The Difference Between a Trait and a Habit

A "Habit" is a usual way of behaving. It is the starting point for all behaviors. All Traits, at conception, are habits. Habits are usually born out of necessity (we have to obtain a goal), or a desire (We wish to obtain a goal).

Most of the times, negative traits come as a result of necessity, not desire. Sometimes, however, using a negative trait when approaching a desire itself becomes a negative trait.

As we grow up, we encounter situations and circumstances that are new to us. Since we have no point of reference (information we gathered from past experience which helps us deal with these events), we are left with two basic choices.

Choice A- We seek advice. 

We turn to those around us for guidance. Preferably someone who encountered a similar situation and handled it before. Our goal at this point is to try to use their point of reference in order to handle our situation. When we decide to follow that advice, if successful, their point of reference becomes ours. After a while, a habit has been created. A way in which to handle future similar situations.

The one thing you have to keep in mind when using this option is the following quote...

"Insanity, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." 

Albert Einstein

When this option is chosen, remember that you are, in essence, creating a habit that will, in time, become a trait. Make sure that your definition and the other person's definition of "success "is the same one. Your goal is to solve the situation. Not avoid it.

Choice B- We use Trial and Error method. 

This method involves searching and using different ways in order to handle the situation. There is, however, correct way and an incorrect way of using this option. The correct way to remain goal oriented. In Transformational Support, this method is commonly referred to as the "Focus, Research and Action" method (FRA).

What this enables you to do is to remain encouraged, focused and determined until the situation is resolved. The goal is not only to obtain a useful point of reference but also to keep you from creating negative habits such as.. 

A- Covering up the issue 

B-Pretending the issue will go away by itself 

C-Running away from the issue 

D-A combination of two or more of these.

These habits have a great potential of becoming negative habits (a usual way of behaving that results in a negative outcome). Shortly after that, they can become negative traits (A quality that separates a person from another person and usually has a negative outcome).

The specific type of habit we create (negative or Positive), will mature into a Negative or Positive Trait. Once this happens, and a trait is created, the trait has to be broken down to a habit first before replacing it with a better habit.

That being said, I must tell you that changing habits is faster and simpler than changing traits. However, most people seem to be under the impression that changing a trait is much more difficult than it actually is. Changing a habit or a trait is not easy but it is not that difficult either.

Of course, depending on the nature of the habit or the trait, the amount of time it takes to change it may vary. But not the amount of effort. In other words, what changes is your consistency (the amount of time you stay dedicate to changing a trait or habit), not how hard you work at it.

All traits are Habits at birth. Learning how to change them depends on how much we know about them.

ezinearticles.com/?The-Difference-Between-a-Trait-and-a-Habit&id=9577473

Make New Habits

  

Make new habits! How you might be asking. For sure making new habits is easier said than done. At least in my experience. Old habits must be replaced with a new habit. What exactly is a habit? My positive habits make my life run smoother. I put my slippers beside my bed so when I get up my feet are warm and cozy. I don't have to hunt for my slippers in the closet. Every night they are beside my bed waiting for me. I keep a bottle on my nightstand with 16 oz of water in it. Having water close by starts my daily hydration routine. I don't have to think I just drink.

I would go crazy if my positive habits were not on autopilot. Can you imagine how exhausting it would be to have to think about every little thing I did all day long? Driving a car, brushing my teeth, making coffee, and filling my gas tank are some of the positive habits I have in my life. I don't have to think about them I just do them.

There are other habits in my life that are not positive. Eating when I am not hungry, spending a lot of time scrolling through my phone, watching TV when the weather is good outside or shopping when I need nothing. Lets look at eating when I am not hungry. I know for a fact that food calms me when I am stressed. I also know that eating when I am not hungry does not take all my stress away. When I am done eating I become doubly stressed. I have the original stress and the new stress from eating when I was not hungry. Therefore, eating when I am not hungry is a negative habit for me.

Since habits are learned patterns of behavior they can be changed and replaced. It takes time and patience for the new habits to become automatic. We did not learn how to safely drive a car the first time we sat behind the wheel right? We need to go easy on ourselves and be patient. Stress makes it difficult to change habits. Lack of sleep causes fatigue which in turn causes stress. Stressful people make us stressed out. Weed out as much stress as possible when making habit changes. No one ever said change is easy. Changing habits takes time, patience and determination.

In reality, habits are not broken they are replaced with something different. Years ago I wanted to eat a healthier diet so I replaced white pasta and white rice with wheat pasta and brown rice. Now when I purchase pasta or rice I automatically go for the wheat pasta's and the brown rice. It was a habit I changed over time until it became automatic.

It is important to focus on changing one habit at a time. Tackling my mindless eating, my watching TV during good weather, my excessive scrolling through my phone and my shopping as a hobby all at the same time would set me up for failure. I don't want to feel overwhelmed and quit so, today I will pick one habit and start making a positive change in my life.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Make-New-Habits&id=9359928

5 Things To Remember If You're An Anxious Person

I'm sure we've all experienced some form of anxiety at some point in our lives. Whether it was right before a big presentation or while waiting to see if you got a promotion at work, anxiety has always had a prominent presence in our lives.

But for many of us anxiety is not just an isolated emotion, but rather a collection of fears. There's a fear of limited control and a lack of understanding, which is often accompanied by a fear of criticism and a loss of confidence.

Many of us are unaware of what causes these anxiety attacks, let alone how to prevent the onset of another one. This creates an additional fear — the fear of having another attack. This can often lead to isolation and paranoia, occasionally progressing into mono-phobia and/or agoraphobia.

In fact, many of the symptoms associated with an anxiety attack often mimic those of a heart attack, so fearing death by way of cardiac arrest is not uncommon in those of us who suffer with anxiety disorders.

Truth is, I'm all too familiar with those fears.

A few years ago I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety and Panic Disorder and it quickly took over my life. I ended up with a two year addiction to my anxiety medication, which lead to an accidental overdose. Fortunately for me it wasn't fatal.

Nonetheless, I've learned a few valuable lessons along my path of discovery. I've divulged my truth and accepted the position anxiety has in my life.

Today I view my anxiety as more of a privilege than a curse. I've been on both sides of the anxiety spectrum and understand what it's like to feel hopeless and helpless. But I've also uncovered the unconventional methods of prevention. Through a shift in perception and a change in my lifestyle, I've been able to regain control over my life and this debilitating disorder.

My aim is for you to do the same.

I have compiled a list of five things that I want everyone who feels burdened by the grips of anxiety to not only recognize, but to understand. Because if no one else understands you, find comfort in knowing that I do.

Here are five things all anxiety sufferers need to know:

1. You're not overreacting.

How many of you have been told to "just relax" during an anxiety episode? Told that you're overreacting and you need to "chill out."

But if it were that simple don't you think we would just do it?

Anxiety is the automatic response to a perceived threat, causing our fight-or-flight stress response to take over. That's why the most common reaction when anxiety is present is to flee and try to escape whatever environment we're feeling the most anxious in. So essentially you're not overreacting, you're simply reacting.

Nonetheless, I encourage you to continue whatever course of action is needed to help you get over your attack. Don't let the naive opinions of others force you to change your way of dealing with this disorder, unless you're causing harm to yourself or someone else.

2. You're not alone.

One of the worst feelings in the world is feeling like no one understands you — like you're on your own.

I've experienced this before, but what I didn't realize at the time was that there are also millions of people who have felt the same.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, approximately 40 million adults in the United States are affected by anxiety. This is not a battle you have to deal with alone. Today there are more resources for anxiety sufferers than there were a few years ago. Anxiety is now a main topic of discussion, so get in on the conversation.

Look for ways to connect. Whether through blogs or social media, knowing you have someone that can relate to you will help you immensely. The only way for us to beat this is to come together and share our stories and experiences.

3. It's more than mental.

Despite anxiety being classified as a mental health disorder, there are many physiological associations — dizziness, difficulty breathing, chest pain, numbing in the arms and/or fingers and tachycardia to name a few.

People don't necessarily associate these symptoms with a mental health disorder. I made weekly hospital visits for about a month before I was officially diagnosed. So I'm sure there are countless others who are living with anxiety and aren't even aware of it.

If you're not sure, get checked out and be certain. Treatment is available, so why wait?

4. It's telling you something.

Around the time I was diagnosed, I was smoking close to a pack of cigarettes daily. I was consuming well over 300mg of caffeine and my eating habits were terrible. Plus I was drinking a lot more frequently than normal.

Despite all of these factors, I honestly thought I was healthy. My chaotic lifestyle had become my normality. But underneath it all, I was killing myself — literally.

My anxiety saved my life!

Without it, I'm not sure how much longer my body would have been able to uphold.

Anxiety has a voice — listen to it. There is an underlying issue that your anxiety is trying to make you aware of. Don't avoid it, go toward it. It could possibly save your life.

5. You CAN control it.

Anxiety can be triggered by a few things — diet, stress, lifestyle, etc. Although there are a few factors to consider, understand that there is a cause and cure.

During my journey, I realized that my diet played a large part in my ability to control my anxiety. Once I recognized those things, it was my responsibility to make adjustments as I saw fit.

In addition to changing my habits, I needed to change the conversation I was having with myself. I needed to stop allowing my anxiety to dictate the course of my life. So I stopped running. Instead, I learned to stay present, I learned to feel everything in every moment. I learned to differentiate my emotions and accept them as they were.

I learned that by running I was giving my anxiety power, but by staying present I took back control even if only a little bit. As time went on, I became better at it. Today my anxiety is no longer an issue for me. It's still there, but it's been dormant for a few years. As long as I maintain my new lifestyle, I'm not concerned about it ever becoming an issue again.

Stop letting your anxiety dictate your life. I know it's hard, but it IS possible. Your anxiety is only a small part of you. Take small steps daily and stay focused on the journey, for the destination is inevitable.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17664/5-things-to-remember-if-youre-an-anxious-person.html