It seems like we are champions in developing bad habits. But when it comes to creating new and healthy ones, we find out how difficult it is to pick them up. How many times have you said you are going to quit smoking from next week on? Or how you will most definitely read twenty pages a day or begin exercising? I’m pretty sure it happened a bunch of times.
Apparently, it takes somewhere between 21 and 30 days to break a habit though, according to new research, you need 66 days to form a new habit. Which means that you should take into consideration that the accommodation period is slightly longer. If you quit smoking and still dream, after three weeks, about lighting up cigarettes one after another, remember that you should not give up. Every quitting process differs from person to person, habit to habit.
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Creating a new habit or letting go of a bad one can only be done with determination and perseverance. Here are some tricks that will keep you going:
1. Keep it simple
Focus on just one bad habit at a time, that’s the only way you can actually change. No need to submerge yourself in a sequence of bad habits that ought to be broken. Take it easy, prioritize the habits you want to repel and start with just one. Do the same when choosing to develop a positive habit.
2. Make a plan
Pen your attack plan. The moment you write down you’re going to change a habit, you will commit to yourself to perform the task. You’ll need an actual strategy, so include your reasons for making this decision. What are your motivations, your obstacles, and triggers, but also the people who will support you along the way. Make sure you have all the elements in order to succeed.
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3. Hang on for 30 days
Start small, you don’t need to take all the load at once. Don’t try to demonstrate how strong and confident you are by doing all the work from day one. If you want to wake up earlier, start with just 5-10 minutes. You want to make jogging a habit, begin by going for short runs.
4. Determine your triggers and look for replacement habits
After you have taken stock of the reasons you have for pushing away this habit from your life, write down the benefits you’ll get. The sweet reward that’s coming from this ordeal. Afterwards, make sure you reflect upon the facts that have made you fail before. Because you’ve probably tried to do it before and failed. It’s important to know what’s keeping you behind.
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Next step, identify your triggers. For the smoking habit, the trigger might be your morning coffee that goes so well with a cigarette. You have to replace this habit with another, right? Otherwise, what are you going to do in the morning when you desperately want to enjoy quality time smoking? Some positive habits could include: exercise, meditation, deep breathing, organizing, decluttering, and more.
You can do it, you just have to be brave and organized! Help others break those nasty habits, share this!
