How Have Your Habits Formed?
Habits are something we are all familiar with. Most of our habits have formed without our awareness. Both our good ones and bad ones were most likely formed as a result of our environments, experiences and situations while growing up. Consciously created good habits are not only possible but integral to achieving our goals.
We mostly refer to our habits when we acknowledge trying to rid ourselves of the bad ones. How our habits, good or bad, form is a relatively simple process. Just about any activity done often enough can become a habit. A routine way of thinking, a repeated emotional response, an expression of that emotion, as well as many physical activities. Our brains are habit forming machines that put behaviors on automation to be efficient. Once something becomes a habit it is done subconsciously which is why the bad ones are so hard to break. Our brains physically change with the formation of habits physically creating a 'track.' Unfortunately our brains make no distinction between what is a good habit or a bad habit thus stressing the importance of creating good productive habits.
Behaviors that become habits don't use our finite amount of willpower and self discipline. Yet another important reason to have and create good habits. When we seek to make changes in our lives this requires an enormous amount of willpower which is why it is advised we start very small and slow and then build on that. These are referred to as keystone habits. There is some debate among experts about how we can go about eliminating bad habits, that is whether we should use time and energy to try to stop doing them, or to consciously create different behavior that will override them and create new productive tracks. Either way the place to start is to recognize the bad habits we want to address.
Whether they are habits of thought, emotion, or behavior the starting point is to recognize what we want to change. From there slowing down our process is the key. It is a lengthy slow and steady process to create new tracks but it can be done. How long this takes is determined by the amount of time and effort an individual puts into committing to the change. Our old habits will always be there waiting in the wings for triggers to activate them as they stand idle in our myelin sheaths, but we can build awareness and resilience to not give in to them. I know because I have been successful in managing my bad habits and in creating good ones, you can too.
Reference:
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Willpower by Roy Baumeister and John Tierney
The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doige
The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle
#elliotyi
#paradigmleft
#habits
#mindset
We mostly refer to our habits when we acknowledge trying to rid ourselves of the bad ones. How our habits, good or bad, form is a relatively simple process. Just about any activity done often enough can become a habit. A routine way of thinking, a repeated emotional response, an expression of that emotion, as well as many physical activities. Our brains are habit forming machines that put behaviors on automation to be efficient. Once something becomes a habit it is done subconsciously which is why the bad ones are so hard to break. Our brains physically change with the formation of habits physically creating a 'track.' Unfortunately our brains make no distinction between what is a good habit or a bad habit thus stressing the importance of creating good productive habits.
Behaviors that become habits don't use our finite amount of willpower and self discipline. Yet another important reason to have and create good habits. When we seek to make changes in our lives this requires an enormous amount of willpower which is why it is advised we start very small and slow and then build on that. These are referred to as keystone habits. There is some debate among experts about how we can go about eliminating bad habits, that is whether we should use time and energy to try to stop doing them, or to consciously create different behavior that will override them and create new productive tracks. Either way the place to start is to recognize the bad habits we want to address.
Whether they are habits of thought, emotion, or behavior the starting point is to recognize what we want to change. From there slowing down our process is the key. It is a lengthy slow and steady process to create new tracks but it can be done. How long this takes is determined by the amount of time and effort an individual puts into committing to the change. Our old habits will always be there waiting in the wings for triggers to activate them as they stand idle in our myelin sheaths, but we can build awareness and resilience to not give in to them. I know because I have been successful in managing my bad habits and in creating good ones, you can too.
Reference:
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Willpower by Roy Baumeister and John Tierney
The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doige
The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle
#elliotyi
#paradigmleft
#habits
#mindset
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