A Simple Practice To Quit Bad Habits And Gain Self-Control

Bad habits, such as smoking, are so common that it is almost “cool” to have one these days. Only a few want to quit bad habits.

After all, what is life without a few vices, right?

This kind of thinking breeds mediocrity and sucks your energy like a vampire. And you don’t want a blood-sucking vampire in your life. Do you?

Self-control is essential if you want to succeed. In fact, 40 years of Stanford research revealed that people who can delay gratification are more likely to succeed than their peers. The single trait, self-control, determines how far you’ll go in life.

Habits can MAKE you, but they can also BREAK you – WATCH FREE on YouTube:

Why are you addicted?

We get addicted due to stress and boredom. It’s that simple. You only light a cigarette when you want to “clear your head”. You go for a few drinks when life gets “a bit boring”.

And it’s not that people don’t feel bad about their behaviors. They do. But this is what goes on inside their minds.

Inside your mind

Craving monster: “Ugh. You could really use a cigarette right now.”
You: “But it’s not good for me.”
Craving monster: “But it’ll help you focus on work.”
You: “That’s not a good enough reason.”
Craving monster: “Why? Work hard play hard, right?”
You: “Are you sure?”
Craving monster: “YOLO”
You: “Okay!”

What happens is we get into a tug of war with the craving monster. We try to stop the urge to give into our addiction, but the craving monster keeps coming with fascinating reasons.
And it goes on and on until the craving monster convinces us to take that hit.

So how to break this cycle and quit bad habits?

Habits – Motivational Video:

How to Break Any Bad Habit

In his TED talk with over 1 million views, Dr. Jonathan Bricker said that to break this tug of war and quit bad habits, you need to stop thinking. Go from your head to your heart. Just let the craving occupy a space in your body. Give it your care and warmth. Breathe with it.

We give into the craving because we aren’t comfortable with it.  We get rid of the craving by acting on it. Instead, give it some space. After a while, it will dissolve on its own.

Break any bad habit with three simple steps:

1. Become aware of the craving and feel all the sensations in your body
   
2. Breathe with the discomfort, giving it care, warmth and space in your body
3. See it dissolve and move onto next task

Now we’re not saying you will quit bad habits right away. But we are sure that it works better than all the “quick-fix” solutions out there. Yes, better than all nicotine patches, e-cigarettes, or 30-day guarantees.

Here’s what breaking free from bad habits looks like:

Phase 1: I have started being aware of cravings and related uneasy feelings. I still engage in bad habits but less frequently than before. 

Phase 2: I have become highly aware of how my body controls my urges and immediately dissolves them. I still give into bad habits but not often.

Phase 3: I have mastered the mind-body process to eliminate cravings. Bad habits have no place in my life.

So will you commit to this practice to quit bad habits and stop feeling out of control?

If you are really committed, practice this technique right now. Pause for a moment and become aware of all the sensations in your body.

Because it’s wonderful to know your own body.