Why is It So Hard to Change Bad Habits But is It Really?

Ever tried kicking bad habits, only to fail time and time again?

You might feel frustrated and super annoyed with yourself, wondering if it’s just you or if changing habits is genuinely that difficult.

Part of the reason—if not the main reason—that changing habits seems so tough might be because you’ve heard countless times how hard it is and you keep repeating it to yourself.

You may not always hear your own voice, but you do have those silent conversations with yourself, even when you don’t realise it.

For example, have you ever personally experienced how hard it is to quit smoking, or did you hear someone say it’s near impossible to break the habit?

Chances are, you’ve probably heard it long before you attempted it yourself and started believing it.

But when was the last time someone said changing a habit was a piece of cake?

I’m guessing you’ve never heard that one.

Recently, I picked up an undesirable habit: indulging in a sugar-loaded cake with a cup of coffee.

My meal just didn’t feel complete without them.

The problem? I started experiencing minor food allergy reactions from the cake.

My finger became swollen, itchy, red, and painful. But, oh, didn’t the cake taste heavenly?

So what did I do?

I came up with a brilliant idea:

I’d pop a food allergy tablet with it.

Problem solved, right? Right.

Embrace the Simplicity of Changing Habits for a Better Life

Changing a habit might be easier than you think—if you allow yourself to believe it’s easy.

After reading this book, I knew I could change my bad habit.

So I got to work.

While preparing food, I set my mind on steering clear of the cake after the meal. I had a pep talk with myself:

“I’m in control of my body and my mind. I can change any bad habit if I genuinely want to.”

I ignored what OTHERS remind us of every chance they get: how impossible it is to change bad habits.

Instead, I filled my mind with empowering words:

I love changing my habits.

I enjoy feeling healthier without bad habits. It’s incredibly easy for me to change habits. 

I’m always on the lookout for a new habit because it’s fun to adopt healthy habits.

I love identifying one bad habit and replacing it with a good one.

We learn a lot from others.

But maybe, just maybe, you don’t always feel the same way as others do.

For instance:

  • Exercising for 30 minutes every day might not be as daunting to you as others have led you to believe.
  • Eating a healthy meal might not be as costly as others say, since you’re creative and resourceful.
  • Losing weight might not be the insurmountable task some people claim it to be.

Reap the Rewards of Positive Habit Transformation

For many of us, changing bad habits brings to mind images of hard work, struggle, sacrifice, or even the impossible.

Can you imagine feeling good about changing habits with these words looming over you?

Your journey would begin with defeatism and quiet resignation.

It’s as if changing habits is the most unpleasant task you have to undertake.

If you tell yourself that waking up early is hard and always a struggle, you’ll find that it is precisely that.

Instead, focus on the benefits of changing bad habits.

Every night, imagine the extra time you’d enjoy by waking up early. Tell yourself:

“It’s easy to get up early. I love waking up early. I cherish my morning time. I can’t wait to have my morning coffee.”

Break Free from the Influence of Others’ Beliefs on Your Habits

Give yourself a fair chance by tuning out the outside noise.

Consider all the benefits you’ll enjoy when you replace bad habits with good ones.

Start telling yourself how much you love exercising because you appreciate the feeling of being energetic.

Most people with full-time jobs might say:

“I’m too tired after work to do anything.”

Instead of adopting others’ habits and beliefs, try this:

“I love learning a new skill after work. I can’t wait to go home and start working on my project. I learn so much every day.”

Final Thoughts: Embrace the Power of Positive Change and Thrive

We, as human beings, are hard-wired to do more of what pleases us and avoid what causes the slightest pain.

By associating habit change with pleasurable outcomes and benefits while feeding the right self-talk into our minds, we can alter our perception of changing habits.

In fact, the process can be as easy as we make it out to be and tell ourselves repeatedly.

Embrace the power of positive change and thrive as you transform your habits for the better.

? If you’re struggling with changing habits, I highly recommend the book “What to Say When You Talk to Your Self” by Dr. Shad Helmstetter.

It helped me improve the way I talk to myself and get rid of bad habits.

(Disclosure: If you purchase through the link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog, my dear reader!)

You Might Also Enjoy…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *