How do you break bad habits?

1. 82

   Purpose Embracedposted 10 years ago

   How do you break bad habits?
   
   I suppose it is safe to say that most of us have at least one bad habit that we would like to break. Share the steps you took to break a specific bad habit.

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2. 69

   dashingscorpioposted 10 years ago

   One day at a time.
   They say the best way to get rid of a bad habit is to replace it with a good habit. An example might be instead of smoking, chew sugar free gum. If you need to lose weight but hate going to the gym take long walks or hikes with your iPod listening to music. Make fruit your dessert of choice. Join a few hobby groups on meetup.com to get out of the house and engage with others.
   Truth be told there are only two reasons why people make changes.
   1. It's a necessity (If they don't change they will lose something major)
   2. They're unhappy with the results they're currently getting in life.
   "If you want something different you have to do something different."

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      Purpose Embracedposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your insightful response dashingscorpio. I like the idea of replacing the bad habit with a good one.

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3. 0

   Dave36posted 10 years ago

   One bad habit Purpose?, if only!, i had, well lets just say more than one!lol..I like what dashing says, & I'd like to mention a few tips i used & still use..So to break any bad habit, we have to use our will power right?..So do we have will power if we have bad habits?, I'd say no we either have will power & no bad habits, or we have no bad habits & will power..Believe me I've search high & low for the magic formula to get instant will power, & I'm pretty certain there isn't a magic formula..There is another reason why people change, & that reason is motivation & is the best reason a person should change..For example most people when told by their Dr one more drink/cigarette & you will die, manage to find the will power straight away to stop drinking or smoking..Now obviously we don't want to have to wait until we get motivation like that!lol, but if we find all the things we love to do we will probably find that our bad habits disappear as we won't have time for them any more..So in the meantime work on your smallest/easiest bad habit, & work on that until you've eliminated it..Then the next "small" one etc, & so on giving you vital practice as you move on to the bigger one's..It's the same with worries, write them all down & start tackling the "smallest" one..Dashing makes a good point about doing "something different", & I'm not sure if it was Einstein himself who said it, but "doing the same things every day, & expecting different results is a sign of madness"lol..I live my life by that rule, & a few others..So when i was sitting at home smoking weed every night i decided to do something different, & tricked myself off the weed by finding things i loved to do at night..I still "trick" myself now like if i stay on top of all of my bad habits all day, i can have a few biftas late at night whilst I'm chatting on here etc..The amazing thing I've discovered about will power is that if you stay on top of it with any particular bad habit, is that your mind shifts to start to help you maintain it.

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      Purpose Embracedposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your responding Dave36. Yes, we have to do things differently to get different results.

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4. 0

   Sri Tposted 10 years ago

   It is a matter of re-training the mind. There are infinite techniques for programming. The main thing is to get the subconscious to accept the new behavior. I prefer autosuggestion, ancient mantras, yoga philosophy or electronic/visual mind programming in the delta state. Many years ago I had the habit of seeing politics and the world as it appeared to be, full problems and turmoil. Then I decided to change my world. The outer world is the same, but I took control of my inner world. The only world that really matters. Now I am free and happy every day. I am detached from world problems and things that I cannot change. They were never my problems. And they didn't seek my council or opinions. So why should I take up the problems that they are creating? Unfortunately, people get caught up in the word "we" in society. Jnana yoga switches the attention back to "I Am". Immediately all the  burdens of the world vanishes because they need to plant suggestions in people minds to affect them. When you take your power back, the world becomes powerless.

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      Purpose Embracedposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for responding Sri T. That's an interesting perspective, that is, focusing on your inner world.

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5. 63

   Brandon Marhalposted 10 years ago

   By slowing bending them till they break, it will take a little bit of effort.

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      Purpose Embracedposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for responding Brandon. But how do you bend them until they break?

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6. 83

   parrsterposted 10 years ago

   I've found if I focus on the habit, I generally lose the battle. Instead I think it best to focus on positioning. Identify those scenarios to which your habit is prone to show itself, and consider ways to distance yourself from such scenarios. This could be a physical, mental or relational repositioning. For example, if your habit is smoking, and you identify that certain environments, situations or people make resistance impossible, then work at ways to avoid these, or at least, minimise your exposure to them.
   The longer period of time you can do this, the weaker the habits influence and the less dependent you become.

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      Purpose Embracedposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your response parrster. I like your idea of repositioning; avoiding situations that continue to reinforce the habit.

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7. 51

   lydia tubweineposted 10 years ago

   You can break bad habits by enforcing strict laws in people and in the community

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      Purpose Embracedposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for responding lydia. But steps can we take personally to break bad habits?

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8. 60

   ajosh143posted 10 years ago

   Breaking something that is bad is not easy, but also not impossible.
   There should be self control,ability to divert mind,strong will power.
   Try breaking your bad habit  for 40 days first.
   Because many says that it takes 40 days to form a habit.

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      Purpose Embracedposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for responding ajosh143. I agree, self-discipline and self-control are important ingredients to breaking bad habits.

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9. 61

   Akshaykumar Bhatposted 10 years ago

   Meditation is the one of the way to control habit.

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   1. 82

      Purpose Embracedposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thank for responding Akshaykumar.

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10. 71

    manatita44posted 10 years ago

    To be honest, My Purpose Embraced,
    
    I am still struggling. Yes, after over half a lifetime the obstacle is still there, and to think that I sat at the feet of a Holy man for 31 years!!
    
    What can I say? The Soul wants to purge me with fire, so that I can be prepared for the Higher Forces coming from Above. Truly speaking, this is mostly the answer, especially when we try so hard and nothing seems to work. He wants us to work and paradoxically reminds us that even this tiny effort is also of His doing; of His Grace.
    
    So how do we break this habit?
    
    1. Prayer and meditations, regularly, punctually. A life of discipline is a must! Seek the help of the inner Attorney.
    
    2. Launch into enough activity to create distractions. Rest is a killer on the spiritual path. Ignorance always find work for empty hands to do. In the spiritual life there is no Saturday or Sunday. There is only NOW. The Sacrament of the Present Moment. Be like our Lord's lilies of the field.
    
    3. Serve God, love mankind.
    
    4. Avoid negative company and create within you, an aversion for the pointers that would ultimately lead you to this mistake.
    
    5. Here's an interesting and profound thought:
    
    "Do not look backward or forward. There is only Guru. This is all you need to know."- A Friend. It translates according to your faith, but never changes. So try this:
    
    "Do not look backward or forward. There is only Christ. This is all you need to know."- A Friend
    
    This will ultimately keep you one-pointed and an imitator of Christ's ideals.
    
    6. Be patient. We cannot move faster than Grace. Create in you, the spirit of acceptance and go forward, upward and inward. Much peace, my sweet one. Share if you are happy: ceeccil@hotmail.com

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       Purpose Embracedposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks for your response manatita44. Prayer and meditation on God's Word really work for me.

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       manatita44posted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Precisely, PE.
       No one really likes short answers, but you are 100% on. Prayer is the answer to all life's problems. The Inner Guide will teach you all you need to know.

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11. 76

    lilmissmontanaposted 10 years ago

    I have broke 3 bad habits this past year. Smoking, eating unhealthy, and drinking soda.
    
    I replaced each of them with a healthier alternative. I pulled all the unhealthy things from my house and replaced them with natural, healthy, unprocessed foods. I started drinking a gallon and half of water every day to kick the soda habit.
    
    As dashingscorpio stated, it's one day at at time. Even if you fail one day, remember that tomorrow is a new day and a new beginning to try again. Don't give up and have a positive attitude. If you want to change bad enough, you will find the will to do it.

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       Purpose Embracedposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks for your response lilmissmontana, and congrats on breaking those three bad habits!

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12. 48

    kainaatamjadposted 10 years ago

    just get determine that you can change yourself! everything in my view is up to you! if you want to change yourself nothing can stop you! the next step is to repeat the problems you'll face if you stay with the bad habit at least 5 times a day! Once you start opposing the habit it will be easier to leave it!
    everything takes time to leave the bad habit bit by bit!
    the best example if of a smoker! if he smokes thrice a day then he should reduce to twice a day for a period of time ad then reduce to ones a day and finally get rid of the habit!

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    1. 82

       Purpose Embracedposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks for your response kainaatamjad. Yes, a lot rest on choosing to resist the bad habit.

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