HABITS

A Habit is a response or reaction that happens without thinking. Your habits will determine your future – It's a simple law of Cause and Effect.  

So how did I get these habits that don’t serve me?   

It all started with duplicating the way our peers or parents taught us to handle a situation or “just once won’t hurt”, or doing something without thinking of the consequences because it seemed okay at the time.  Habits are an addiction. An addiction is a habit. Anything that controls us - that we are servants to - is a habit or an addiction - Like drinking coffee to give us a pick up, like drinking alcohol to relax, like taking a Panadol instead of drinking a big glass of water, or watching the negative news on TV etc. None of those things are bad within themselves; it is just when that is our automatic response to a situation, we are on autopilot. How we respond in a situation, with anger or withdrawal; by denial or justification; by accepting responsibility or shifting blame; responding in arrogance or humility. 

A definition of insanity is to keep doing what you are doing and expect a different result. It is a simple equation; just like 1 + 1 = 2. Successful habits create positive rewards. Negative habits breed negative results. No doubt about it! To separate yourself from the crowd, you must change some things in your life to change some things in your life. 

If you want to live a long and healthy life, you must have healthy habits. If you neglect your most important relationships and never spend time, energy and give love, how can you expect a happy ending? If you recklessly spend money or don't have a saving plan, your bad habits will lead you to a life of never having enough. It is a simple decision to eliminate those bad habits. It's a very simple process - it just takes some applied focus. I recommend that to change from this bad habits routine you simply decide. It is easy by using this step-by-step process. 

1) Clearly identify and write down your bad or unproductive habits.  

a) Be very specific.  

b) Identify all the long-term consequences if you continue a bad habit. Only a couple of cigarettes a day for example aren’t really much, but after 10 years you have smoked 7,300 cigarettes. This toxic chemical remains in your system and can affect your health and those around you.  

c) Think of the way you interact at home. How are your communications and relations with others at home and at work? Are you a courteous driver? What are you like in your free time, do you exercise and eat healthy? How is your emotional and spiritual health? 

d) Honesty is the only way to create the future you desire.  

2) Clearly define your new successful habit, the benefits to you and visualize its results in your life.  

a) Your new habit is usually the simple opposite of your bad habit.  

b) To motivate yourself, identify all the benefits and rewards for adopting your new successful habit.  

c) The more vividly you describe the benefits and create the picture in your mind, the more likely you are to take action.  

3) Create a three-part action plan.  

Action steps have to be YOUR action steps that you are willing to implement and know are within your ability to follow through. If you want to stop smoking, find some supportive options like a nicotine patch or hypnosis therapy which may suit you better. Action steps that you know in your heart you won't follow through are useless.  

4) Schedule these action steps into your day for the next three weeks.  

Schedule your start to exercising three times a week and put it in your diary. If you want to start reading uplifting books make plans now as to where you will read without interruption and schedule an hour in your daily schedule. By using repetitive action that new habit will be formed in a short time frame  

5) Then, take action!  

Focus on creating one new habit at a time. Choose your three immediate steps and put them into action. Start now and do it now. Make it a priority. Remember, anything can be changed when you decide to change it.