Old habits die hard. And it's hard to change, but it is not impossible. When you're trying to change a habit, Sam Spurlin recommends that you slow the process down and concentrate on the reasons why instead for a full month before you start.
The idea is that this will break the habit down into tiny chunks. And then it allows you to concentrate on those chunks for an extended period of time. It doesn't just include your actions but also your thoughts. So spreading the thought of it over a course of a month just before making a habit change could do you well. Here's how Spurlin giving an example of a habit of say, biting your fingernails:
Spend a month thinking about and writing about why you want to stop biting your fingernails. Get every single reason, thought, and impulse down on paper.
Write down what you were doing and/or thinking about immediately before each time you started to bite your fingernails.
Keep a running tally of every time you notice yourself biting your fingernails.
Pick a hand. Focus on only using the nail clipper on that one hand for an entire month. Notice the difference between your hands. Which one feels better?
Switch hands. Focus on only using the nail clipper on that one hand for an entire month. Notice the difference between your hands. Which one feels better?
Spend a month not biting your fingernails. If you do, notice what you were thinking/doing when you did.
Look at your notes and figure out how you can address those specific thoughts/activities (I've noticed I bite my fingernails when I'm reading so I gave myself something to chew on while I read, like a toothpick).
While the process sounds super slow, it's supposed to work. But will there be any backslides when we come to this? After all, taking so long to change is not any different from procrastinating. What do you think? Write down what you were doing and/or thinking about immediately before each time you started to bite your fingernails.
Keep a running tally of every time you notice yourself biting your fingernails.
Pick a hand. Focus on only using the nail clipper on that one hand for an entire month. Notice the difference between your hands. Which one feels better?
Switch hands. Focus on only using the nail clipper on that one hand for an entire month. Notice the difference between your hands. Which one feels better?
Spend a month not biting your fingernails. If you do, notice what you were thinking/doing when you did.
Look at your notes and figure out how you can address those specific thoughts/activities (I've noticed I bite my fingernails when I'm reading so I gave myself something to chew on while I read, like a toothpick).
[Sam Spurlin Photo by April.]
