Developing Good Habits For A Fruitful Life...

Good habits are something that most people want to develop more of. No one wants to be riddled with bad habits, because they are usually bad for them, something that might be embarrassing or harmful in some way. Every New Year hundreds of thousands promises to break their old habits and replace them with new habits. Some promise exercise, others plan to quit smoking and the list just goes on. Unfortunately of those thousands, only a handful change, their habits and maintains their new lifestyle for more than a couple of weeks. Old habits can be difficult to break, but there are a few ways to help bring the new in and get rid of the old. Life is too short for bad habits, it is high time that you put a little trust in yourself, your spirituality and lean on the following to change your habits once and for all.

Replace Good For Bad
For every bad habit there are 3 good ones. Take the time to find a “good” habit to replace the old habit. It might be drinking a glass of water every time you have the urge to smoke a cigarette or jogging in place every time that candy bar calls your name, but do something. Not only does this help take your mind off the old habit it begins to retrain your brain. The brain, of course is an intelligent piece of machinery, it will learn quickly that those urges get filled with a glass of water or a short run in place, and stop calling! Eventually the new habit will become “the habit” and the old will be long gone.

One At A Time

One of the biggest reasons that New Year’s resolutions get broke is because there is a huge list of them. People are trying to change their whole life, which can be pretty devastating to the body. Remember the human body is a creature of habit, so take it slow. Work on replacing or quitting one bad habit at a time. Spend about a month on each habit to really focus in on it and retrain the brain, remember it takes some time!

Use Triggers
Triggers refer to something that reminds you of your old habit. For those trying to quit drinking, it might be a friend’s house, for those looking to lose weight; it might be that nightly ice cream in front of the television set. Use these triggers to build a different ritual. The rituals can be anything, though preferably something good! How about a snap from a rubber band on the wrist, reading the Bible when the urge for a drink comes on or a quick bath when the ice cream calls?
All of these ideas are ways of replacing bad habits with good ones. Have faith that you can do it, and tell yourself that it is not “if” you can, it is “when” you can........Good Luck