Habit Smasher: Breaking Bad Habits Before They Break You - E-book - ePub

IntroductionIn 1903, the American Journal of Psychology defined a "habit" as "...a more or less fixed way of thinking, willing, or feeling acquired through previous repetition of a mental experience." In other words, it's something we do because we've always done it. Some habits are ingrained in us deliberately for good reasons. For example, brushing your teeth after every meal, and looking both ways when crossing the street are both good ideas that keep you healthy and safe.
They are things you don't dwell on much. You do them without any real thought. Not all habits are healthy. But by extension, they're not all bad either. However, the ones that threaten good health or interfere with life need to be "unlearned." The good news is, it's possible to do just that. You can learn to break the pattern of your habit. Though be warned that it takes a little time and a certain amount of effort.
You can't expect change to happen overnight. In these pages, we will look at some of the properties of habits, both good and bad. We'll determine which ones are unhealthy and which ones need to be altered or changed. We'll also take a look at ways to break the bad habits, along with some tried and true methods. We'll also explain why they work.  If you're like most people, you've already tried to break a bad habit or two and found yourself sliding back into the same old behavior patterns.
You may have even given up hope, and begun defining yourself by your habits, e.g., "I am a smoker" or "I am a shopaholic."The fact is, you can break habits. And in almost every case, when you look at the success stories, the successful habit-breaker has stopped self-identifying with their habit. Now it's your turn. Read on. It's time to change your life.