Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
― Gandhi
Do you have a habit you could do without or you’d like to add in?
YES! Great! You are on your way to achieving that just by acknowledging it.
What is a habit?
It is a program running in our unconscious mind without conscious thought being given to it. They are behaviour patterns that once run through enough times they occur automatically. Exciting news for us! This means we can change any habit we want!
Simple – YES!
How do habits work?
1. Trigger – First there is a trigger (emotional state, a thought, a belief, a moment in our day)
2. Routine – Next the trigger leads to the routine (coffee, alcohol, food, yelling…)
3. Reward – Then you get the reward you want (avoidance, feel happy, safe, relaxed, calmer, peaceful, satisfied, content, in control, the boss)
How to change this at home
1. Identify the behaviour or habit you want to change – too many coffees, yelling, eating, drinking, procrastinating…
2. Identify the trigger – What is it that sets the routine into motion. the little snippet before you begin your routine? Is it an emotion, a thought, a belief, a word? Take note each time the unwanted behaviour appears and jot down what triggers it each time. E.g you go to the fridge to look for something to eat. Are you stressed, overwhelmed, angry or believe you aren’t good enough to do the task you are doing, avoidance of a task…
3. Identify the routine (what is it you do habitually) when the trigger is set off what is your automatic response to the situations. That is the routine. the routine behaviour that you are looking to change. What would you like to do or want to do instead?
4. Identify the reward – What reward do you get from doing that habit? Does it serve you? Is it what you consciously what you want to happen or is it just something that you have been doing since you were little? What other way can you get that reward?
5. Now you can consciously change the pattern to what YOU now want to happen instead. You can release the trigger, change the routine and change the reward. DO this over and over again until the is the new norm. Then…Poof! there is your new habit.
TIP: Find some accountability.Have a friend, rello, family or coach help keep you accountable while you implement the change. who knows it may be fun! Accountability helps keep you motivated, on track and help stop the procrastination!
Remember that creating a new habit can take time if you are doing it on your own. Be conscious of your behaviour and be kind to yourself while you develop the new habit.
Remember you’ve got this!
What habits do you want to create?