We are all creatures of habit, the repeated actions that make up our daily lives. Our habits, the good and the bad make up who we are. Some habits are molded from our earliest associations and environment and others we pick up along life’s journey on our own. The good habits of course are worth keeping, but we all have a habit or two that would be best left by the way side, these habits are most often brought to our attention by an annoyed companion or an irritated co-worker.
Of course a sound and reasonable person believes that eliminating a bad behavior is for our own good and progress but just thinking about breaking a bad habit can invite feelings of anxiety or reluctance at the thought of parting with something that has become a familiar part of who we are. Those pangs of discomfort when thinking of replacing a bad habit can leave one feeling in a weird and twisted way… deprived. Even when fully aware that in doing so would be a positive asset to their character, an improvement to their heath or the key to preserving a relationship.
There is no potion, lotion, or pill that will make a bad habit fade away in 30 days or an industrial strength spray that will eliminate the stench of negative behavior. And unlike a quick visit to the local home improvement store to replace a bad fuse there are no habit improvement stores to replace a bad habit. In order to consistently grow and progress towards living your most ideal life we must be willing to consistently change and improve ourselves and at times well… that is just hard to do and as creatures of habit we typically don’t like to do those hard things in life even when they most often lead to grow and self improvement.
The key to changing any habit and making it stick is to get clear about what it is that you want to change and why you want to change it. Then with small and simple adjustments bad habits dissolve, replaced by habits that invite success. Even a small effort can create big changes. Ideal LifeVision is a tool that has helped many of those somewhat reluctant habit changers create their ideal lives by helping them to clearly identify the habits they wish to develop in all areas of their life for over two decades. LifeVision simplifies the process of habit implementation and makes replacing bad habits with good habits a manageable endeavor.
Steve Pavlina teaches, “Habits are memorized solutions.” Everything we do reading, writing, brushing your teeth, driving, and eating are all memorized solutions. So habits are really just how your brain approaches time management. Your mind has better things to do than solve the same problems over and over, wasting its time so it delegates problems to your subconscious mind in order to recall and apply the memorized solutions.
Unfortunately, the way our subconscious mind handles habits can have its drawbacks. It can memorize ineffective solutions just as well as effective ones. Some minds learn that over-eating is a good way to handle stress or that complaining is the perfect way to gain attention.
Changing these memorized solutions can be broken down into a simple process with Ideal LifeVision. Many have used this same tool to eliminate the behavior that has held them back from living their best life. New habits are written in minute detail in 5 key areas of your life. Your LifeVision is then recorded in your own voice with specific music often called accelerated learning music added to the background; this allows your brain or your mind to be in an Alpha or meditative state. Because of the unique recording method used with LifeVision even when daydreaming or when you are not particularly listening to your LifeVision, your subconscious mind still hears it and responds. The gap between where you currently are and where you want to be will narrow. By listening to your LifeVision daily you are focusing on what you want to achieve, you are listening to the person you are becoming, your beliefs about yourself will begin to change. These beliefs will in turn create habits and begin to give way to new beliefs, thus creating new habits.
First assess your current habits, begin by creating three lists. The first list is for your best habits; those that serve you well in positive ways. These habits are those you want to keep or strengthen. The second list is for your negative habits; those you want to eliminate that are holding you back from living your best life. The third list is for new habits that you would like to incorporate in an area of your life. Consider any new habits you would like to develop or enhance in one or more of these 5 key areas of your life.
1- Spiritual
2- Relationships
3- Health and Physical
4- Professional and Financial
5- Personal Development
Be honest with yourself when creating these lists. Ask yourself a lot of questions, especially the hard ones. This will help you get at the core of what you really want to accomplish and why.
- Which habits do I hide or lie about to others or myself?
- Do I have habits that are detrimental to my health?
- What habits are preventing me from doing my best work?
- What habits are preventing me from reaching my business goals?
- Does this habit move me forward or backward everyday?
- Does this habit serve my highest self?
Keeping asking more questions and add the answers to your lists, making these lists of habits will help you gain clarity in what new habits you need and want to incorporate bringing you closer to your goals and aspirations.
- What is one thing I can do to improve my relationship with my companion,
my child, or those I work with?
- Am I living my life according to my authentic self?
- Would I like to become an early riser or exercise regularly or improve my
eating habits?
- How would my life improve if I decreased the time I watch TV, or time
mindlessly spent on the computer or checking my emails?
- What would I do with that extra time? Would I read more or write my own
book I have been meaning to get around to?
- Would I learn a new language or take a painting or self defense class?
- Do I engage in present, engaged and unrushed conversations with my
spouse, my child, or my friends?
If you successfully add just one new habit in the next month, how would your life be different in the next year, in 5 years or in 10 years? How would you feel? What would your life look like next year, in 5 years or in 10 years if you changed nothing?
Because we live in a fast paced world, it is easy to get mindlessly caught up in life with responsibilities and deadlines. Habits are often formed without being consciously aware of them. With demands and responsibilities often our core dreams and aspirations get lost in the crowd and the blur of daily life. Life is sometimes lived on autopilot with habits that just get us through the day, leaving us with a life unfulfilled and in a rare quite moment when the emptiness of living life on autopilot or by someone else’s agenda begins to weigh heavy the choice is given… Do I want to continue to live the life I am currently living or do I want to start creating my ideal life? Do I choose a life lived fulfilled on path and with purpose? What habits am I willing to let go of that would allow me to life the life I dream of? It has been said, “We are all one adjustment away from making our lives work.” One adjustment. One new habit… can make all the difference.