Changing Habits

For as long as I can remember, I picked my nails. In kindergarten, my parents tried to bribe me with $2 per finger if I stopped picking my nails. The problem - it didn't work. Well into college, I still struggled with it, but now over 20 years later, I have FINALLY stopped picking my nails.

We all face bad habits. I used to think I could never go a day without picking my nails and, in college, I didn't think I would go a day without chatting on AOL Instant Messenger (which is funny now because I don't think ANYONE chats on AIM anymore). So, what is it for you? I could never go a day without _______.

What fills your blank? -- Is it drinking soda? Having a latte? Eating dessert? Smoking? Having a beer? Getting on facebook? Swinging through a drive-thru? Gossip? Making excuses? Unnecessary shopping? Or something else?

It can be easy to brush these things off just like I did as a simple bad habit, but when does a bad habit or daily ritual become more than that? Webster's identifies an addiction as "persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful." 


Sure, picking my nails is not the same as a heroin addiction, and chatting with friends online isn't the same as being an alcoholic. But why not stop ranking our bad habits and comparing them to something we view as far worse? Why not look the other direction at the healthier actions we can be taking and the better uses for our time spent? Let's look to the better alternatives for our lives. 

Just like Chris shared last Wednesday, it's the small things that count. It's the little choices that we make and how we utilize the small moments in life that can make us overwhelmed and stressed, or living in peace, order and health. 

I always thought that to stop picking my nails that I had to have great will power. In a way, that is what I needed. It all happened when I started taking better care of myself in my daily living. It was something that just happened. One good choice lead to another good choice and so on. It's the same with our other goals - except it's not that we need MORE will power, it's that we must exercise the will power we already have inside! This happens daily. This happens with each individual choice we make. 

So, let's make smart choices and see what happens. A few tips for how to be successful in changing your habits: 
- Write down your plan for change. 
- Share your plan with someone who can keep you accountable. 
- Substitute your old habit for a healthier option. (i.e. Instead of soda, try a flavored sparkling water; Instead of a sugary latte try your coffee black or switch to tea; Instead of watching TV, go for a run) 
- Do it even if you don't feel like it. We can have strong emotional ties to our habits and rituals, don't let your emotions sidetrack you. 
- Set a reward for when you're successful. 


 My challenge for this week is to pick one thing that you'd like to change or remove from your daily living. That thing that you feel you can't live without. Now, what is the healthier alternative? Decide and commit. If you're really feeling brave, comment below and share how you're going to make change this week.