Silly Putty of the Soul...Bad Habits Are Meant To Be Broken

The big question is, "How, how do I turn myself around.?"

Here is a very excellent article I found that is very helpful.  Please check it out.

The Habit Change Cheatsheet: 29 Ways to Successfully Ingrain a Behavior This is from the article,
"The simple steps of habit change:1. Write down your plan.2. Identify your triggers and replacement habits.3. Focus on doing the replacement habits every single time the triggers happen, for about 30 days."

Everything I found on the Internet seems to agree with these three steps so there must be merit in this.  Breaking strongholds in your life is not an easy task.  First you need to make up your mind that you want to make the effort to break the habit.  It is all about choice after all.  Habits are comfortable repeated actions that we consider our norm.  We all create habits, either good or bad.  Its the bad ones that should get attention if we really want things to change.  Einstein says that the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same things in the same way and expect them to change.  Habits most likely have come from a particular routine that you have fallen into or created for yourself.  To change a habit it makes sense it is necessary to change your routine. 

While meditating on the concept of breaking bad habits two ideas came to me.  First, if you have created a bad habit it was do to the repeated attention you gave to this habit.  It took repeated thoughts that were followed by a repeated action.  So, does it make any sense to give even more concentrated thought to a bad habit in order to break it?  Therefore, expending effort to break a bad habit is actually an affirmation that will ingrain the habit even deeper into your response patterns. Secondly, do you know about quicksand? Should you find yourself trapped in quicksand the more you struggle to get free the faster you will sink and the deeper you will be entrapped.  If you calm yourself and stay still it will make your body float.  This happens because the density of your body is greater than the quicksand.  Struggling against the quicksand gives it power over you.  Struggling against your bad habit gives it power over you! 

Joyce Meyer suggests that instead of expending all of your energy and placing your focus on breaking bad habits you might better use your  time and energy or resolve to focus on your good habits.  Consciously and deliberately create new good habits.  Perhaps her theory is correct.  Your bad habits will dissipate when they do not receive the dedication of your thoughts, energy and focus.   

Challenging your bad habits may seem like this big cat trying to sit in a small pot, an impossible pursuit.  But don't limit your challenges, challenge your limits.  If you go into anything with the mindset it will be impossible, it will.  Your first step might be to write down  what you want to change.  Look at the triggers that enforce the negative pattern.  Choose to change the repeated actions.  Ask for spiritual help.  However, don't take on more than one habit at a time unless they happen to be interrelated.  Overwhelming yourself is setting yourself up for failure.  

For me, my first challenge is to correct my drinking problem.  No, I don't drink alcohol or even pop, but I don't like to drink at all, especially water.  Drinking sufficient amounts of water each day is extremely imperative to good health.  So, instead of telling myself I must break the bad habit of not drinking enough water I am creating a new habit of drinking a glass of water when I wake up and a glass before every meal or snack. Being that my glass holds 16 ounces, this should guarantee staying hydrated throughout the day.  This new positive habit will naturally replace my bad habit of never drinking enough water.
  Angels are always at the ready to help.  They do not judge you, but instead whisper words of encouragement and offer strength.  They are all about God's love.  Their message to you for breaking bad habits is, "Break free of procrastination and embrace the opportunities that changing your habits will bring to your life."  

An affirmation for breaking bad habits might be, "I light my tomorrow with a better today, trusting in God each and every way."