MoHow Posted By Dr. MO You’ve heard the saying that “We are creatures of habit’. For example, each day I wake up, exercise, take a shower, eat breakfast, get dressed, and then do the next activity. The precise details might vary, however I usually do the same things, in the same order, every single day. I have grown accustomed to this routine. I like it because it’s easy and because I don’t have to do think about it. A predictable routine is extremely comfortable.

The problem is that we get comfortable with any habits, good or bad. When either become a part of our daily routine, we lose consciousness of them and repeat them without thinking.

The challenge for many of us is in breaking bad habits. It’s very difficult to do because any change is difficult. When you try to give up a bad habit, it leaves a void in your routine that leads to restlessness and urges. The best way to fill this void is to develop a good habit. If you want to this, here’s how…

The first step in the process is the decision to give up the bad habit. The motivation to change must come from within, not because other people say you should. This drive is greatly increased by understanding and acknowledging just how harmful the bad habit is.

For instance, let’s consider the bad habit of going out drinking regularly. It’s absurd when you think about what you’re actually doing. You spend your hard earned money to buy a hangover and exhaustion each time you do it. You could pay someone to hit you on the head and get the same results…would you?

Once you realize, and remind yourself of, the harm that you do yourself, bad habits become much less appealing. But giving them up still isn’t easy because most bad habits also have an upside. Going out drinking satisfies a need for social interaction and excitement. These desires themselves aren’t bad, however we need to discover better ways to satisfy them….that don’t come with the negative side effects.

Giving up a bad habit does not have to be only the unpleasant experience of denying ourselves of good things . The key is filling the void in our daily routine with something that isn’t as harmful, and rewarding ourselves to maintain our motivation.

So what do you do if you want to reduce your drinking. It’s going to be tough because you will miss the excitement of going out and interacting with other people. However, there are other ways to fulfill these needs that aren’t as destructive or expensive.

Instead of going out at night, try getting out during the day with friends. Get up early and do something you enjoy. Take a walk around the neighbourhood . When night comes around go the gym, you won’t feel as restless and the urge to go out drinking will be easier to resist.

Different things work for different people. The key is finding a better way to satisfy the desires you used to satisfy with the bad habit. If you can replace a bad habit with a positive, enjoyable habit, the change is much more likely to stick. Once you are able to feel satisfied without harming yourself, you’ll wonder how that old bad habit seemed so enjoyable.

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