Why are bad habits so much easier to keep around than good ones? Our brains like to feel comfortable and safe - and bad habits can feel like a cozy (but bad for us!) blanket. Whether consciously acted on or not, we love the dopamine rush of a fulfilled bad habit craving. When we try to change our brains, they steer us back to what we know - the habits we want to break.
If you have a couple (...or more!) bad habits, it doesn’t mean you’re stuck with them for good - when it comes to changing behavior, one tactic is replacement. Figure out your trigger points (i.e., opening social media when you’re bored), then find a replacement (when you’re bored, put your phone in another room and peruse a magazine or fold clothes instead).
A great place to start is habit mapping, and a reusable Jotters notepad is the best place for this! List the top three habits you’d like to break, what triggers them, and their replacements. If you need any ideas to start, here are three habits to break this year with easy replacements!
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Checking social media first thing in the morning. Imagine waking up to 50 different people screaming in your face about everything on their mind. Welcome to your IG discover page! Social media can be a great way to connect, learn, and find inspiration, but it can also drain your energy and zap your attention span. Your mind is fresh and empty in the morning - fill it with positive thoughts and engage in activities that will help you grow instead, like reading or journaling.
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Write a morning gratitude list. Ease your way into the morning. by focusing on the positives in your life. Not a fan of gratitude lists? No judgement here! How about expanding your vocabulary with a "word of the day"? Our working memory can only hold so much information, but learning new words actually helps our brains create more ways to retain information.
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Negative self-talk. Odds are, we would never say the things we say to ourselves to our family or best friends. How you talk to yourself matters the most! You can’t focus on self-improvement or growth if you’re constantly beating yourself up.
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Start each day with a positive affirmation. Awareness is first, and we often don’t realize how hard and negative we are to our own selves. Write it down (a Reusable Sticky Note is perfect for this!) and stick to your bathroom mirror. Repeat it to yourself as you get ready in the morning. Be kind and persistent - do it daily!
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Not drinking enough water.
Ever get to 4pm and wonder if you even had a sip of water today? Water is essential for boosting your memory, providing more energy, and improving your general well-being. But drinking water can feel impossible if you’re stuck in a habit of not prioritizing it!
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Tracking what you drink. Start in the morning with a big glass of lemon water. Refill a water bottle throughout the day and infuse it with fresh, citrusy fruit and herbs, and reframe the way you think about it. Rather than an annoying task you have to complete, think about how much better you’ll feel and function when you give your body what it needs to perform at its best!
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