Tips to overcome bad habits

Changing your behaviour to break a bad habit can be challenging, but what if there was some help? Hypnotherapist and NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) master practitioner Jasmine Piran shares her top tips and tricks for moving away from any bad habit.

Piran is also a consultant for Rokfri, a unique stop smoking programme which understands that every smoker and smoking habit is different, and provides one with a personalised holistic approach to stop smoking, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Here are a few tips that will come in handy:

• Set yourself a date when you want to start your new behaviour and keep to it. Many people start a new routine on a Monday, after a birthday, in the New Year, whatever you choose just make sure it is a realistic and practical date that works for you.
• Think carefully about who you want to tell about your plan to stop smoking. Some people find it very useful to have other people involved in these types of behaviour change, while others find that people knowing about their aims adds pressure or stress to their journey. Do whatever works best for you and put your own needs first.
• Make a list of the positive reasons why you want to change your behaviour and keep it with you at all times. Whenever you are feeling challenged you can look at this list and remind yourself of your reasons for making this change in your life.
• Be kind and patient with yourself. Small positive daily steps will gradually amount to a big positive change. Congratulate yourself for every success along the way, no matter how small, and allow yourself sufficient time to achieve your desired end result.
• Understand your emotional drivers behind your behaviour by logging your thoughts. See what may trigger certain responses and understand what may cause your reactions. Keep a cravings log and see how they link to specific situations, times or people in your life.
• Keep track of your results so you can have a clear idea of your journey and experiences to date. This can help you see how far you have come, obstacles you have faced, and work out how to manoeuvre around these in the future.
• Keep rewarding yourself for your achievements and remember these rewards at times when you are feeling challenged. If you're restraining your mind and behaviour around a habit such as smoking, a celebration could be using the money you've saved to book a treat such as a day out.
• Persist with this new ritual. Stick with it and you will find that things get easier with every day that passes.