Bad Habits: Breaking Them vs. "Braking" Them
By Wendy N. Lapidus-Saltz
Dec 29, 2007
Sometimes there's a habit that has been so damaging, so annoying, or frankly, so unsavory that we simply need to cut it out of our lives. Like mold on cheese.
Other times we're not ready, or able, to slice it off completely. Or maybe it has been with us so long, it's just hard to imagine life without it.
And there are certain habits that are useful once in a blue moon, for particular situations, and we need to have them available on an as-needed basis, though not all the time. You'll understand what I mean in a moment, and you might be able to identify a few of your own that fall into this category.
For example, the husband of a client needed to step away from the habit of zoning out when someone was talking to him, …show more content…
It may become easier to let go of a habit if we simply don't tell ourselves "You can never, ever have/do/be this ever again!" Certainly, dropping the number of times you partake in a negative habit, per day or per week, is better than not decreasing it at all.
Nicotine is a little different. For most people, cutting back on smoking little-by-little doesn't work as well as complete elimination. Unfortunately, but the secrets of smoking cessation is another article, for another time.
Which habits of yours would you like to eliminate? (Write your answers down for best results.) And which of these would be more comfortably eliminated bit-by-bit and which in one gigantic swoop? (Write.)
Which habits would you like to create or reinstate in your life? (Write.) Which of these should be introduced into your routine little by little? And which enforced frequently? (Write.) Note: for some people, creating or starting a habit gradually works best, while a harmful habit is best eliminated in one cut. For others, the process
By Wendy N. Lapidus-Saltz
Dec 29, 2007
Sometimes there's a habit that has been so damaging, so annoying, or frankly, so unsavory that we simply need to cut it out of our lives. Like mold on cheese.
Other times we're not ready, or able, to slice it off completely. Or maybe it has been with us so long, it's just hard to imagine life without it.
And there are certain habits that are useful once in a blue moon, for particular situations, and we need to have them available on an as-needed basis, though not all the time. You'll understand what I mean in a moment, and you might be able to identify a few of your own that fall into this category.
For example, the husband of a client needed to step away from the habit of zoning out when someone was talking to him, …show more content…
It may become easier to let go of a habit if we simply don't tell ourselves "You can never, ever have/do/be this ever again!" Certainly, dropping the number of times you partake in a negative habit, per day or per week, is better than not decreasing it at all.
Nicotine is a little different. For most people, cutting back on smoking little-by-little doesn't work as well as complete elimination. Unfortunately, but the secrets of smoking cessation is another article, for another time.
Which habits of yours would you like to eliminate? (Write your answers down for best results.) And which of these would be more comfortably eliminated bit-by-bit and which in one gigantic swoop? (Write.)
Which habits would you like to create or reinstate in your life? (Write.) Which of these should be introduced into your routine little by little? And which enforced frequently? (Write.) Note: for some people, creating or starting a habit gradually works best, while a harmful habit is best eliminated in one cut. For others, the process