Changing habits

One of the subjects that often comes up in my coaching’s is habits and how to change them. And I think it is something we all have done or tried to do in our lives. It is a subject that interest me a lot and one I love to dive into. 

There are a lot of books and articles on changing habits, which shows it is a subject that is intriguing people and that there are approaches on how to change a habit.  

And then there is the bad news: if you found this post because you want a solution to change a habit, I do not have a ready blue print solution to offer you.  

But I do have some things to consider, if you want work on a habit; be it changing it, getting rid of it, or creating a new habit. 

• You must want it for yourself and do it for yourself. Changing a habit because others tell us to do not work. 
• You need to know why you want to do it. 
• If you want to get gid of a habit, have something to replace it with.  
• It will take time. Have some patience with yourself. 
• If you want to create a new habit, find a routine to incorporate it into. 
• If you want to get rid of or change a habit, identify the routines that are triggering the unwanted habit. 
• Find an accountability partner – it can be a friend, a partner, or a coach. 
• Small steps work better than big jumps. 
• Find ways to celebrate the small wins. 
• If your habit is connected to an addiction like smoking or alcohol it is easier with professional help. 

But MOST importantly: you need to find out what works for YOU. 

It will not help you to replace the candy with a carrot if you do not like carrots. If you are feeling uncomfortable about sharing your struggle, having an accountability partner might not be right for you. Keeping a calendar can help you to become more structured – or make you feel overwhelmed by the entries.  

So, if something does not work for you: acknowledge that, find out why it does not work if you can, and then try something else.