Another chance to begin again in 2010
December 28, 2009 by Joe Gigantino
“Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page. Take up one more hole in the buckle if necessary, or let down one, according to circumstances; but on the first of January let every man gird himself once more, with his face to the front, and take no interest in the things that were and are past.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher
With the last few days of the year winding down, you’re probably savoring every bite of the last of the holiday goodies and indulging in activities you’ll probably think twice about next week. Resolutions – we all make them, and we all break them.
What does it mean to resolve? Dictionary.com defines it: to come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine (to do something). However, why is it that when we make resolutions, something that should be very definite, we so easily break them? Resolutions are about us – what we want to change or see differently in our lives. We have good intentions, but often that’s as far as it goes. Situations occur, and we go right back to our old familiar ways. There’s a Proverb that says: “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.” I know that’s a pretty disgusting image, but it’s so true.
Most of us go into a new year with resolutions on starting a new habit, when what we really need to do is break the old ones! If your bad habits aren’t that obvious to you, just ask the people closest to you – they’ll probably happily point them out to you!
Here are some tips on breaking bad habits:
- Prepare your mind before you do anything else – believe in yourself!
- Pay attention to rhythms. All habits are about rhythm, following a pattern of stimulus and response. The trigger could be an event, an emotion or the passing of time. Break the rhythm and you’ll break the habit. Vary the rhythm by doing the act at different times or for different reasons. This way you can remove the mental correlation of the act with the stimulus, and begin to do the act only as a matter of choice, not a matter of habit.
- Some people say that it takes 30 days to form a pattern and 90 days to form a habit, so plan on giving this a good chance.
- Sometimes you will start your bad habit again after stopping. Maybe your mind hasn’t quite stuck to the idea yet. Just break the habit as many times as it takes.
- Rewards may keep you motivated and may lead to a new and positive habit in your life.
- Get a friend to help you break a habit; someone you can trust in and rely upon.
- Carry a rock for every time you do your bad habit; or create a ‘habit jar’. Every time you give in to your habit, put in a dollar or pull out a slip of paper that tells you to do something you don’t want to do, like cleaning the toilet.
- You’ll need the support of your friends and family. If they’re constantly telling you that you won’t succeed, you’ll have trouble. Bad habits are often caused by stress, so tell them you’re trying very hard, and ask for their support.
- Create a “Days Since” calendar for your computer. These can be found on widget websites, and they tell you how many days it has been since you’ve done a certain thing. Pick a set start date to break this habit and use your calendar to keep track of it. However this won’t really work if you’re not on your computer a lot.
- Visit www.TheWorkout.com daily and you’ll find free fitness advice, tips and workouts designed to help you become a healthier you.
- Love why you’re doing it.
If you’re waking up on January 1, 2010, you have another chance to begin. What an opportunity you have been given – to start with a clean slate in a year that could truly be your best ever!
Cheers to a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous 2010!
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