3 common thinking mistakes prevent you from taking bad habits

Smoking, nailing, a chocolate bar after lunch, or a glass of wine in the evening, which makes us so lethargic the next morning. Do not we all have at least one habit that beasts on us? And who, despite our insight and iron discipline, simply can not get rid of it? Maybe it's because we're wrong about weaning, because some mistakes about habits are at least as ironic as the habits themselves.

3 thinking mistakes that let us stick to bad habits

1. "I just have to want enough, be disciplined and clench my teeth."

Above all, to take negative habits, do we need discipline and willpower? many think. But there they did the calculation without our brains! This constantly drives us to do things that trigger positive emotions (joy, pleasure, enjoyment). Because discipline, resignation and teeth clench but are not fun, our brain turns in such a weaning approach. Maybe we manage to do without the chocolate bars two or three times, but if that always costs us all strength and effort, we can think twice before relapsing, whether Snickers or Bounty ...

How are you feeling? Quite simple: We make our brains our partner in crime? by giving him positive incentives and rewarding us for every success. For example, each time we have a blatant celebration and a pat on the back when we have been through the boring meeting without finger-pushing. Or we note it lovingly and colorful with hearts and smileys in the calendar. Such small measures are often enough to convince our brains that life without the annoying habit is much happier.

2. "The habit is not good for me."

Most try to motivate and persuade them to take a habit, keeping in mind their negative consequences and effects. But that is exactly the wrong way. Sure, smoking or over-eating sugar has a negative impact on our health and does not do us any good. But anything positive brings any habit, otherwise we would not have started it. A dose of good mood thanks to the serotonin kick, a stress relief valve or a feeling of security? behind every habit there is a need that satisfies it.

How are you feeling? Do not see the habit as an enemy burden, but first make friends with it, accept it and find out what it brings us positive. Then we can either do something about the cause (for example, if the habit is a stress valve, we should try to reduce our stress) or think of an alternative to satisfy the need.

3. "Habits make unfree."

The more habits we cultivate, the less free we become, so we should never replace one habit with another? No, no, and once again no. Habits, routines, rituals are great things, so we do not have to think constantly and restructure our lives. Close the door, tie your shoes, make your first coffee in the morning? something like that makes your mind free for ideas and creativity. And so habits that annoy us give us a solid framework that frees up other capacities.

How are you feeling? Instead of necessarily renouncing a bad habit, we can quietly consider a substitute habit that is better for us. It may not sound like an equivalent substitute, but if we want to drink less wine, it's much easier to celebrate a glass of grape juice instead of not thinking.