How To Change Your Bad Behaviour – For Good

We wouldn’t be human without a few bad habits. From emotional overeating, to drinking too much each weekend, choosing the sofa over a workout or exceeding our responsible limits on slotathon.com, everything we do is a choice with its attendant consequences. Many of us want to change our behaviour, but the change never seems to stick. We may have a good week and then a curveball comes along, we get derailed and give up. How do we create lasting change that sticks? It turns out that there is a set process to all behaviour change, and that if you stick to it, real and lasting change is not just possible but within reach.

Signals That It’s Time To Change

In order to effect change, we need to become fully aware that our previous choices have negative consequences. Sometimes, our behaviour is a problem for a long time before we realise it. And we have to realise it ourselves – as when others point it out, we may deny it, become angry or even deflect it onto their own behaviour. There can be incidents that slowly trigger the realisation there is a problem – it could be seeing holiday photos and realising how much weight you’ve gained, or waking up after a night out unable to remember what happened due to excessive drinking. If our bad behaviors have never caused us direct trouble, sometimes we don’t see it as an issue. If you consistently encounter others – friends, family, even health professionals, telling you that there is a negative habit you need to change, try to take it on board rather than reacting defensively. It could save you some serious heartache.

Thinking Through A Behaviour Change

Once you’ve been able to recognise the need for change within yourself, then you are able to consider how best to approach making the change. This can often be a long stage, but it’s important to realise that contemplation can easily turn into an excuse for not taking action. Often the easiest way to begin is just to begin. You will need to think ahead about triggering situations – understand what compels you to behave in that negative way – and develop some coping strategies. It could be the family get together that drives you to drinking too much or the work related stress which causes you to overeat. Working out other ways to deal with those situations is absolutely key to making any kind of a lasting change.

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Locating Your Willpower

Moving your beliefs from theories into actions can be an extremely difficult process. Keep your motivations front of mind as you make your preparations for change – be it clearing the house of processed foods, signing up for that course of personal training sessions or even seeking counselling should it be needed. It’s generally best not to schedule a start date as this becomes a moveable point that can be pushed back. Assuming there aren’t any limiting factors that will change over time it’s better to just get started as soon as possible. Use physical reminders to keep you on track – one obvious example is that unflattering holiday picture taped to the fridge – but there can be other factors that made you want to change in the first place that you can keep close.

Taking Action

The first step is always the hardest. But once it’s underway, you may find that momentum builds quite quickly for you. Rather than attempting a large scale change all at once is very difficult, so break it down into stages. You may start off with two gym sessions a week and then gradually build up to five. You may cut down on something rather than cutting it out completely. In this way, change is more incremental and less disruptive. If you have several behaviour changes to make, definitely start with the easiest one. Once you have made some progress on one front it’s easier to chip away at others, as you know you can make a change.

Keeping It Up

Continuing the progress that you’ve made is a another step entirely, and it’s at this last hurdle where people tend to fall. Because continuing your progress is less interesting than starting something new, and also because the strategies which are effective in causing behaviour change don’t necessarily also work to maintain the change. Simple factors such as our mood and energy levels can have a strong effect on our willpower. Try to ensure that you have thought through these matter – for instance, if you’re trying to eat clean but know you grab a chocolate bar when you get hungry and tired, load your bag with healthy snacks. Or if the cold mornings put you off getting up and out to the gym, lay out your clothes ready to go. But the main secret is really simple. Keep happy and you are far more likely to keep your promises to yourself! \