Wednesday 13 November 2019

Get rid of your habits for good!

As a motivator I not only talk but I listen to hundreds of stories every semester about how difficult it is to eliminate habits. Habits stand in our way to living healthy and positive lifestyles. They block our chances to reaching fulfilling happiness. In fact, within most of my conversations with my students I've noticed their worst habit is the reason why they're procrastinating. They've literally let their habit take over and control their destiny. It doesn't make sense.

Habits are actions you repeatedly do for the sake of comfort. They're generally developed during/after a stressful period of time in your life. They help us gain a level mind, but they harness too many negative aspects to be overlooked. They come in various forms, such as smoking, chewing, biting and sucking. In fact, there are a plethora of different actions within any given habit. They all serve the same purpose, and they all contain the same characteristics. Each of us have formed them. Very few of us have eliminated them.

While studying habits; their role in our lives and the damage they cause us, I looked into my own habits. In fact, I looked into them quite in depth. I had to. It was like the pink elephant scenario. It was staring me directly in the face. In doing so, I realized even I too harnesses habits that are standing in the way of my fulfilling happiness. As I looked into their origins I realized they came into my life always during a time of desperation. For example, I took up smoking cigarettes after my divorce (six years ago). The habit lasted more than five years. It wasn't until I saw the damage it was causing; yellow teeth, bad for my health, expensive, and all the other common toxins smokers complain about when I finally eliminated it for good. To be honest, it isn't very difficult to determine if a habit is bad or good for you because all habits are bad for you. They serve no positive purpose but comfort. There are way more negative affects from any given habit than positive. Period.

Anyway. In dealing with eliminating habits there are a few techniques you can use. By far, the strongest method I've seen I've also been teaching for years. It was created through my own practices. It's something nobody else teaches and is unique to my own brand. I highly recommend it.

The technique :
You're going to need a day planner/daily organizer for this exercise.
Step 1: list your common habits from 1-5 (or more) on a page. From worse to least.
Step 2: write a vow to yourself to eliminate your habits (all of them) within 21 days on another page.
Step 3: list three activities you would like to do in your lifetime. Suggestion: something on your bucket list. List them from most expensive to least expensive. Ie: trip to Bali ($3k), sky-diving ($600), tattoo($300).
Step 4: the following day (and for 21 consecutive days) take note of your daily habits; write it down every time a habit overtakes your mind. Remember, you're paying attention to all your habits, not just one. *You need you to realize how powerful ALL of your habits are affecting your life, not just one.
Anyway. At the end of each day you'll record your habits on paper (in each perspective day). Put pencil ticks for the amount of times your mind succumbed to each habit.

At the end of the 21 day cycle you'll not only have a ton (or very little) of pencil ticks, but you'll see how powerful your habits negatively affected your mindset. You'll be able to see when/why and where your habits came in the strongest, and for what reason. You'll actually learn quite a bit about yourself in the process.

With your will power and taking advantage of Step 2 you'll see how far you can actually make it to eliminating ALL your habits, not just one. When you do you'll feel amazing. And, you'll become your best possible self, reaching true enlightenment.

Reward yourself with Step 3. I would recommend the following: if you dwindle all your habits down to less than once per day for the last seven days of the 21 day exercise then you get to reward yourself with the 3k trip to Bali. If you don't achieve your mission you get the next best option, or nothing at all. At the very least you'll learn a lot about yourself, and you'll learn to become the best YOU possible.

It is scientifically proven that it takes 21 days to form/replace a habit

Your best self comes to play when your habits are put away.

12 comments:

  1. This is a great list. Very insightful! I agree it takes 21 days to make or break a habit, and in this case, there's a few I wouldn't mind breaking myself.

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  2. Just 5? Coz I've got plenty I'd like to break... I'm a wreck, hehe. Great advice though, Imma try it out!

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    1. Took the words right out of my mouth lol

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  3. I know what you mean, it takes a lot to break bad habits, but it's not impossible. Thanks for the list.

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  4. I'm on day 5.. it's getting pretty hard. Any tips?

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    1. Just keep doing it. Repetition is key. You gotta be diligent and just keep pushing through, especially when it gets hard.

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  5. Yeah I have seen many videos saying that it takes 21 days for any good habit to make or break and I think it's not a big deal.

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  6. Bad habits are toxic to you and people around you. It is also a limiting factor to success. I've been there too and I'm happy I got rid of my bad habits.

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  7. Wow! This looks really helpful! I think I'll have to work on my drinking habits so I can save enough money to get me my dream vacation to Koh Bon Island in Thailand! Wish me luck!

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