Breaking Old Habits

Posted on Nov 30, 2011 | by Brenda Stanton

If you’ve been trying unsuccessfully to change a habit, understand that there is usually one hidden advantage or liking for that particular behavior just below your conscious
awareness.” ~Hale Dwoskin

As we begin the process of wrapping up 2011, the next few weeks are critical to helping you get clear on your intentions for 2012.

And, as with every visioning and planning process, it’s so vital to know not only what it is that you yearn to achieve in the new year, but why you yearn to achieve certain things and to have certain experiences.

Consider this definition of who we become based on our habits according to Steven Covey – Author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: “Our character is a composite of our habits, which form a powerful factor in our lives. Because habits are consistent, unconscious patterns, they constantly express our character and produce our effectiveness and ineffectiveness.”

Covey goes on to say in his book that habits have a strong gravitational pull – and breaking deeply imbedded habitual tendencies, (that most of us consider as “bad”) such as; procrastination, impatience, criticalness and selfishness – involve more than just mere willpower.

What you need in order to break deeply imbedded habits that you know are holding you back is: awareness. Awareness of why you have the habits to begin with…and what you’re gaining from having them.

Consider the quote above from Hale Dwoskin, and then consider that your “bad” habits that hold you back actually give you some sort of pay-off. It may not be a pay-off that you like or enjoy
tolerating, but it most likely gives you a sense of safety, a sense of control, and an excuse to stay where you are – in your old ways.

If you’re ready to transcend your old habits and break them for good, check-out the Worthy Work below for some tips to help you get started.

And remember, if you like this content, we’ll be discussing it in a weekly Free Tele-Circle Series starting on December 5, 2011. Simply reply to this email and let us know you’d like more details and we’ll be sending out the number before next week.

 

WORTHY WORK

To help you break old habits that you know deep down are no longer serving you, take out a sheet of paper and write down the 5 main “bad” habits you’d like to break and transcend. Make
sure to leave enough room (paragraph size) to write below each word.

After you write down your 5 old habits you’d like to break, write down the opposites of what you’d like to inhabit. You can utilize Opposite Word.com to get the words to use.

Now, take your old habits that you wrote down and document the benefit you’ve receiving as a result of having this habit in your life. What is the pay-off you’re receiving? What is the GIFT
this aspect gives you.

This process is going to feel completely un-natural to you – but stick with me.

For example, if impatience is an old habit you’d like to break, consider that the benefit/gift/pay-off that having this habit gives you is: a sense of urgency, an ability to get
things done fast, etc.

Then, write down how impatience holds you back from achieving goals that you’d like to achieve and WHY you want to incorporate their opposites in your life.

You can go through the same exercise for the opposite words and new habits you’d like to institute in your life where you document the gifts and benefits you’ll receive as a result of having them.

This exercise is all about integration – helping you realize your wholeness – and that whatever aspect that you have and “own” is there for a reason because it serves you. Trust me, once you fully own the benefit of a “bad”, old habit you’d like to change, it will change, but you must see why you love it first and then you can finally own it’s opposite.

As always, have fun with these exercises and getting yourself prepared for a brand-new year!

Love,

Brenda

 

To Your Worth!
Brenda


Posted by Brenda Stanton
Nov 30, 2011 at 9:09 am
Comments Off
Categories: Living For Today, Quest for Perfection, Self Care, Self Worth
Tags: , , , , , ,
Subscribe to My Blog:

Subscribe to my blog! Enter your email below to receive new articles by email!