The Energy of Habits and How to Gain Control

Our habits are a response. We do have both good and bad habits. And so we want rid of the bad, what must we do?

Becoming aware is the first step. With meditation, that leads to improved everyday mindfulness, we’re better able to pause before acting on impulse. We might feel hungry and our habit is to quell this hunger with snaking. Instead, mindfulness shows us how to embrace the feeling of hunger, and instead of seeking to instantly dismiss the feeling, we experience it. We see the positive of hunger (we’re gaining a healthy weight). Not only are we better able to manage our weight with mindfulness we’re better able to decide what types of food we put in our system.

Our habit is to respond to anxiety with consumption. When we choose to feel and work through the anxiety, we’re choosing wholeness. We’re choosing to become more human, and in turn we’re learning to be okay, with every aspect of this. Fear dissipates when we acknowledge it and understand what exactly we’re fearful of. Often our anxiety is triggered by unconscious processes learnt in childhood. We cannot discover these things – and then grow – if we continue with our negative habits.

Perhaps the habit we have is to have a drink the moment we want to relax. Rather than instantly reaching for that bottle of wine, or whatever, how would it be if we were able to simply stop and breath

We learn to associate. We condition ourselves to associate feelings with activities. This is especially the case with alcohol. Happy times, we drink to enhance this. Sad times, we drink to ease this. Being without the anchor of booze we’re cut adrift in a world of sharp feelings. Over time we relearn how to gently deal with our human emotions. Our habit can become of mindful considered actions. Actions that consider the wellbeing of ourselves and others.

Negative habits tend to be the minds way of conserving energy. Very little energy is used in following an established pattern. Generating positive habits initially involves increasing the metal energy we use. Effort will be required. And just as the mind conserves energy following poor habits, in time, it will act on new patterns that have been emplaced by design. The mind will do this for the very same reason it previously followed poor habits.

Want to stay of the vodka and crisps? Want to feel better and live a longer healthier life? Join the mindfulness revolution.