What are habits? A habit is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur unconsciously. How are they formed? Think about the formation of habits like this: when you encounter a certain type of situation for the first time, your brain is working hard throughout the entire experience to try and find its way. This can cause stress and anxiety that leads to poor decision-making. When we don’t allow ourselves to slow down and process what is taking place we tend to crumble under the pressure of the situation.
If we are unable to recognize this sequence and continue to handle unfamiliar situations and experiences in the same way, we slowly form a habit. The same routine continues and becomes an automatic response. So how do we break the habit?
We choose to ACCEPT that our habit is damaging and begin the process of “turning the mind” in positive direction. Over time we learn to slow down and consider the consequences and results of our actions. Poor decision-making leads to pain and suffering. Once we can accept the part we play in our own pain and suffering we can start to move forward. Turning the mind takes practice. When we practice a skill over and over we know it becomes routine, but this time it becomes a new and healthy routine.
