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Breaking A Bad Habit

Have you ever found yourself shaking a leg when you get nervous or biting your nails and then thought, why do I need to do these things when I am nervous? Why can’t I stay still like everyone else? Such behavioral instincts are called habits, and these become habits when you keep on doing them continuously. There are both good and bad habits. While it is entirely okay to follow good habits, bad habits are something that you should try and change. If breaking a bad habit is what you want to do, then now is a great time to start. While social media helps you keep away from some of the bad habits, continuously being on social media also has some problems. You can overcome a nasty habit, but it is pretty challenging to keep on thinking it is enjoyable. Keep a mentality that you want to change your habits, and try out these tips to get yourself out!

Make Sure You Compliment Yourself

While it takes lots of guts to try and break a bad habit, it is also necessary that you keep on complimenting yourself whenever you take the initiative. Your actions will eventually be leading you to successfully break down a bad habit. You can also reward yourself. Make sure you give yourself some sort of treat each time you find out that you have restrained yourself.

Take Help From A Friend

Breaking a habit and the support of someone, especially when they are friends, helps you make a lot more progress, even in a small amount of time. Let’s take the example of smoking. You see your friend smoking, and that is when you start craving to smoke as well. The more you resist, the easier it becomes, and eventually, you can just let go of smoking. 

It also helps each other when you cheer your friend on and give them compliments or rewards. Not all friends will want to quit with you, but you can ask them not to do it around you. 

Analyzing The Habit

You should be checking when, how, and where this habit is taking place and searching for the triggers causing the bad habit to occur. It is also essential that you get a hold of how often you do it and the circumstances that do not allow you to do it. If you can’t keep track of these with your mind, you can also have access to a journal to jot down specific behavioral changes and how they occur. Being aware will make you more confident in bringing about the change. 

Have A Change In Your Surroundings

Sometimes it is the surroundings and the things present near you that let you continue with your bad habits. If this is the case, then you need to bring about a change in your surroundings. For example, if the nearby tree in your backyard is where you go and smoke for days together, then the tree automatically becomes a trigger, which indicates it is time to smoke.

Hence staying away from that tree or your house for a while will make you forget that it is time to smoke and, therefore, will make sure that there is no need for this particular habit to exist for you to survive. Changing your surrounding does not imply that you need to permanently shift your location or not to come to that location ever again. It just means that you need to stay away from anything that triggers your bad habits, even for a small amount of time. 

Live With People Who You Wish To Be Like

They can be your role models or even some good old friends. All you need to do to change your bad habits is to find those who are not engaged in such things. While it might be hard to try and fit into such good people initially, over time, it will start influencing you in some way or the other and hence will let you make changes on your own. 

Give Yourself A Small Pep Talk

We all love having discussions with ourselves. When you try and find out that you are the biggest obstacle in the path to change, at such times, all you need to do is spend a few minutes with yourself and have a small pep talk. 

If it is about eating junk food daily, then you can have a conversation with yourself, reminding yourself how weight gain is a problem and how hormonal imbalances can affect your day-to-day life. The moment you remind yourself about it, you can try and bring even the slightest change in you. 

Make Sure To Plan, Implement, And Keep Track Of Your Progress

Lastly, all you need to do is keep a plan, stick to it, and make sure you do not give up no matter what others say. You are the best version of yourself, no matter what others say. All you need to do is keep pushing yourself forward and keep yourself motivated to see the change for yourself. 

Final Words

Yes, it might take time, and yes, it is hard, but what we do not know is the gift that the future holds for us when we change our bad habits for the good of others and us. All you need to do is give yourself time and take things slow because only you know what is best for you, and no one can change anything about it.