In this week’s post I share my top 6 Tips for Getting Rid of Bad Habits. So whether you are having Hypnotherapy at my Harley Street practice or having Online Hypnosis via Skype – these tips will help keep bad habits away! Written by Hypnotherapist Harley Street, Malminder Gill, 5 April 2015 published online via the Hypnosis in London Blog.

Most people’s New Year’s Resolutions have already gone down the rubbish disposal like yesterday’s coffee grounds. This doesn’t mean, though, that you have to be stuck with bad habits for the rest of your life or even for the rest of the year. It just means there may be better ways of getting rid of them than pinning all of your hopes and dreams on January 1. The next time you want to banish a habit from your behavioral repertoire, try these suggestions instead.

1. Choose one habit at a time. You may have a lot of bad habits you would like to break, but attacking too many negative behavior patterns at once can become overwhelming. You may start to feel as if the odds against your success are stacked far too high. This can lead you to give up on the whole process before you even start. The particular habit you choose doesn’t matter much. It may be the easiest to break, or the hardest, or the one you feel is the most destructive to your well being. Just make sure you only have one habit in mind.

2. Do it for you. Breaking a bad habit to please someone else rarely works. You must want to break the habit for yourself, or if you won’t want to break it, you must at least be convinced that it is in your own best interests. If you’re on the borderline, try writing out a list of pros and cons so that you can see exactly what you will gain – and lose – by making this change.

3. Avoid situations where the habit occurs. Once you have targeted a habit and are clear about why you want to change, think about situations and settings where the habit typically occurs. A friend of mine, for instance, who wanted to cut back on caffeine, realized she picked up a large cup of coffee every day on her way to work. By altering her route a little so she didn’t pass by her favorite coffee place, she was able to literally remove temptation from her path.

4. Replace the negative habit with a new, healthier habit. Visualizing is a powerful habit-changing technique, but it’s hard to visualize a negative or a “not.” For instance, if I say, “Picture yourself not smoking,” you’ll probably imagine yourself puffing away. As an alternative, ask yourself, “What am I doing instead?” Imagine yourself doing something else, like working logic puzzles, or playing with your kids, or saving up for a fabulous vacation. Substitute the new behavior whenever you feel the urge to engage in the old habit.

5. Ask for help. Breaking a bad habit can be difficult. Doing it all alone can be practically impossible. So, reach out to your friends and family and tell them what they can do to assist you. For instance, you may ask your spouse not to buy those chocolates, that wine or to encourage you during weak moments to stay on track. You may also want to see if there are any local or online support groups that can help you tackle your habit.

6. Finally, be persistent. Bad habits don’t develop in just a few days, and they won’t disappear in just a few days, either. Celebrate triumphs with joy, but be gentle with yourself when you slip up and make mistakes. Give yourself plenty of time and space to say goodbye to negative behaviors and to welcome new and healthier behaviors into your life.

The month of January may have been torn off the calendar, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with the same old negative habits for another year. With strength, determination, and a little support, you can make positive changes in your life any old time you want to.

Malminder is a Harley Street Hypnotherapist helping many people to break bad habits and establish new healthier habits.  Malminder offers online hypnosis via Skype for national and international clients.

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