Building Habits

This week I'm working on building relevant, keystone habits into my life. This means changing any routines that do not serve me. I've identified some checkpoints to establish in my day that will help me to do this.

As soon as I notice a bad habit, when I'm not fully in the present moment aligned with what I want to achieve, I'll write that down in my journal. Doing this will give me the perspective I need to build a different routine for a new habit. 

Let's say for example that I want to quit smoking. I will have to build a different routine into my life for every time I have a cigarette. So every time my thinking and actions align with lighting up, I have to notice what's driving my behavior and change the routine accordingly. 

I might write down what I'm feeling and thinking when I want to smoke (reflection) and then build a different routine, whose reward is not a nicotine fix, but something else like the release of endorphins after exercise. 

So instead of lighting that cigarette, I'll take a walk around the block, eat something healthy, drink a cup of coffee or tea, write something in my journal, go to the gym, or speak to someone about how I feel. 

By changing the routine, I'm essentially looking to re-wire my automatic thought response which I've built into my behavior every time I want a cigarette. I can then begin to build new, more healthy or growth-mentality habits into my life. So here's a 3 step process for changing habits that no longer serve you. 

1) Notice your thoughts and feelings around the particular habit you're looking to change. Where do these come from, how long have they been with you and how often do they play themselves out? How do you respond to them?

2) Change your routine. I remember when I used to smoke cigarettes, I used to always light one up after a swim, after a meal, or after having done some work, as a reward. I had built these automatic responses into who I was until they became a habit. If you want to change a habit, change your routine. 

3) Reflect on the process. Whether its journaling, speaking to a friend, consulting a coach, or even reflecting mentally, in order to change your habits, you need to see where it is you're succumbing to old patterns of thought and action that limit you. The more objectivity you can bring to whatever habit you're looking to change, the better. 

Finally, there are 2 more key ingredients you'll need to change ingrained habits that have limited you in any way in the past. The first is belief in yourself. If you don't have the undying belief that things will change or get better, you'll more than likely stumble at a hurdle bringing you back to square one. And secondly, you need self-determination. This comes from connecting with your vision about your life and what it is your wanting to change. With these 2 elements you're likely to succeed at building new habits. 

Did you find this article useful? I would love to know your thoughts in the comments below.