Question: Why is it so hard to change a negative habit?

Answer: A bad habit might have gotten its start in early or during a difficult time in your life. Some people may have learned in childhood to eat too much as a way of nurturing themselves. Or, I knew a woman going through a divorce who developed the habit of falling asleep on the couch while
watching television.

At the time the habit formed, the subconscious was just trying to help you: to fit in, to be accepted, to deal with discomfort. You programmed it with the habit. Then the negative habit took on a life of its own, because the subconscious then got the message that “This is what we do to cope.”

Since its automatic, it’s hard to stay aware all the time to begin to break the habit. It’s so easy to fall back into the old pattern. Also, if the subconscious thinks the habit is still necessary, it will fight any weak attempts to change it.

Your conscious mind must become determined and committed to a new habit, both mentally and physically, for the subconscious to cooperate with changing. Although the subconscious must follow the directions of the conscious mind, those directions must be clear and consistent.

Copyright 2007, 2016 Linda-Ann Stewart
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