Cut it off in its infancy
Do you have any habits that you don’t want to be a part of your routine anymore?
I know I do! One thing that was suggested to me recently was to cut the things off that don’t serve me in their infancy.
What do I mean by this?
Consider a mustard seed. It’s such a small seed but once you plant it, it grows to be an extremely tall tree!
Another example is our children. My nephew is 9 years old and always wants to beat me up. He’s not too much of a challenge but one day he’s going to grow up and be a man and then he might kick my butt when we wrestle. He’s also in Brazilian jiu jitsu, so if he continues to train, I’m pretty sure he’ll be able to handle himself.
What I’m trying to illustrate is that the mustard seed is a small seed that I can carry no problem before it grows bigger. My nephew is not too hard of a challenge when we wrestle but he probably will be when he grows up.
When we have habits that have been nagging at us and that we want to change, it's best to address them right away.
For example, if you’re sitting in the living room watching tv and you’ve been wanting to cut out late night snacking. When the thought comes into your mind that you want a snack, CUT IT OFF IN ITS INFANCY!
The second that thought comes into your mind, move a muscle, change a thought. Tell your partner that you’re considering snacking and you don’t want to. Choose a healthier snack instead of the usual bowl of ice cream or cookies.
The longer you sit there without sharing with someone what you’re considering or taking an opposite action, the greater the likelihood you are going to take the same action you always choose.
An obsession is a single idea that overrides all other ideas to the contrary. The longer you think about or entertain the thought, the larger it becomes. Just like that mustard seed or my nephew.
When it becomes too big and powerful, we will lose that battle of choice every time. This process starts with awareness. Be aware of when the thought is creeping into your head. Once you have the awareness you can react quicker.
Involve others in the process of making change like your family or close friends. Accountability is great but ultimately changing is our responsibility. When you’re done, you’ll change.
I hope this can support you in your journey with changing your habits!
What’s one habit you are currently working on changing or doing away with?
Comment Below!