Bad Habits

Summer is wrapping up around the Osborn house this month which means our routines and habits need a bit of dusting off.  The return to school and busier sports schedules will help us ditch some of the staying up too late or sleeping in without an alarm.  But the rest of the summer habits (passing the pint of Ben & Jerry’s back n forth on the couch while watching junk tv) will need a bit more intentionality…but really, who is this actually bothering anyway?

Truth is we’ve picked up a few bad habits over the summer that need to be ditched in order to create a bit more well-being and balance from the summer versions of ourselves.  The important thing about ditching bad habits, is realizing you’re in them to begin with.  When people talk about habits, they talk more about starting new habits without realizing that a lot of it actually has to do with breaking the old ones.

You’re usually not starting a habit from scratch.  Instead, you’ve got to work at ditching the bad one and establishing the good one, all at the same time.  Realistically, you have tons of habits or routines you do every day, some serve you great and others work against you.

Say you’re wanting to start your day off with an outdoor walk or workout but you can’t seem to find the time. What habit are you currently doing that’s preventing you from establishing a new one?

Are you in the habit of hitting the snooze button repeatedly? Do you routinely scroll your email and social for the first 30 mins of your day? These are all things that work against you in ditching the old habit and starting the new one you keep talking about.

What about your relationship? What habits are working against you in love?  When your mate gets home from work, do you routinely stay locked into what you’re doing or do you habitually get up and greet them? Are you stuck in the loop of asking ‘how was your day?’ instead of a more open ended question?

We are creatures of habit, which means breaking up the routine and doing something different (while also not doing the same ol’ thing) is vitally important to any bit of change you want to create.

Take the initiative to start noting some of your habits (good and bad) this week to see where you can make a shift.  Do more of what serves you and your relationship and less of the ones that work against the two of you.

I’m cheering you on,

-A

P.S. Are you really stuck in old habits and struggling for ideas on where to even start with some new ones? Follow this link to schedule an appointment and let’s brainstorm together.