We all have them.
They are the things you do without thinking. Sometimes you are not even aware of your own habits. Consequently, you are not aware whether your habits are true to what’s happening in your life in any now moment or whether they have become outdated; they don’t serve you anymore.
Whenever I talk about habits, whenever I say that you should get rid of habits that don’t serve you anymore, the first thing I’m asked is how long it takes for a new habit to become automatic, to become unconscious, to become something you do without thinking.
My answer is always the same, it doesn’t matter for it takes as long it must take.
When you focus on the period of time, some researchers say that it takes around 28 days for a habit to become automatic, when the deadline comes and you still need to be aware of what you are doing you can get extremely frustrated to the point that you give up and fall back to your old habit.
So instead of focusing on the time focus on the benefits that the new habit will bring you
Remember that you chose to change a habit because the old one didn’t serve you anymore. The more you do the new habit the more you can feel the benefits. This way you’ll be motivated to keep going and before you know it the new habit becomes unconscious.
Now before you say to yourself that this process is easier said than done, consider these two possibilities if you would.
First, go back in time and look for a memory there whereby your parents were teaching a new habit, any habit. Think about how many times they had to repeat the same thing to you until you really got it; how many times they had for instance to say to you “brush your teeth” until you finally did it without them having to prompt you.
Was it a one-off? I don’t think so.
Second, remember when you started your first job ever; remember how uncomfortable you felt because you didn’t know the daily routine. My guess is that you can’t remember because now it’s so automatic that you just do it.
Let’s take action right now.
Think about your habits.
Choose the ones you should get rid of and keep the ones that still serve you.
If you feel like giving up while you are doing it, focus on the benefits that the new habit will bring you.
It is your choice after all.
If in this very moment you know you can’t do it then let’s have a chat.
Go on my website and sign up for a Free Consultation.
I’m here to support you.
Please share this blog with others so they too can choose to get rid of habits that don’t serve them anymore.
