A habit, whether good or bad, is going to grow on us until we accept and feel comfortable with it, and eventually we cling to it even when it is time to give it up for something better. How can we use this principle to our advantage?
Can you see ways to apply this?
I see three right off;
1. Turn what we want to be doing - into habits or routines.
Think about a habit you want to get rid of; now plot a new one to supercede that habit, or replace it with a better one. Turn the very compulsion to do the old negative habit into a trigger to do a better one instead.
For instance, you can break the habit of bedtime snacks by starting one to read two or three Bible verses and pondering on them while you brush your teeth. Or work it in with whatever other trigger reminds you it is bedtime snack time.
2. Organize routines around duties you don’t enjoy.
Work into the routine small rewards or treats for yourself so that they become a package with the unpleasant but necessary duty. After a some time that will all feel so comfortable you’ll forget that you didn’t want to do that duty in the beginning.
I did this when I came home to look after my parents. I had never cared for doing dishes. It had always seemed a duty forced on me as a child, but I could tell I’d be doing dishes here for eons to come, so I resolved to never whine about it, to treat myself to a bit of magazine or newspaper reading at the table before I got up to do the dishes, and to listen to my favourite radio programs while I did the dishes. I also insisted on certain wipe down steps before and after, so that when I left the kitchen was up to a fair standard.
Now, 23 years I rather enjoy my “dishes” routines, and consider them my private wind-down time. In fact, I believe I now love doing dishes! Generally I do all my cleaning steps automatically, whether I feel like it or not.
3. Persevere when breaking out of a bad home or life situation.
We know that people stay in an abusive home because, even though it is bad, at least it is something they know. Most of us fear the unknown. We need to think about the issues thoroughly, or better still, discuss them with someone we trust, and plot new routines and habits to replace those we know are wrong. This often takes courage and encouragement from others, but we can unlatch our grip from something we should let go, and get a hold of the new and better habits and attitudes.
Of course, we don’t have to throw everything in the ditch. Evaluate - think about your habits carefully. Some of them may be real treasures and you should value and keep them. Learn to discern what is good and what is inherently bad.
I used to envy others when they bought themselves things, and I’d whine, “I wish I could afford that!” One day I realized that I had a spirit of self-pity and needed to break myself of that whining attitude. I decided to give a compliment instead whenever anyone bragged on a new purchase, and to be careful to only tell God when I needed something - never other people. It took quite a while to make this change, but about three years later I realized that I no longer felt so poor, and some of my friends didn’t even know I was because the Lord had provided good clothes as gifts from others.
(c)2006 Ruth Marlene Friesen (permission is granted to publish this article on your site or in your ezine as long as you include this bio/resource box)
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Ruth Marlene Friesen, gladly shares small business ideas with imagination,
creativity, and God’s Blessing at BouquetofEnterprises.biz
Check out her books, courses, and Azaleas Virtual Assistant Services.
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Ten minutes here, 15 minutes there, and so on - I might have it done by next week’s RoseBouquet. Watch this spot.