A client once sent me an email, telling me how she was a ‘biscuit-aholic’ and that she just couldn’t stop eating them – it was like a strange force compelling her to do something she knew she shouldn’t.
Do you ever have the thought ‘I really shouldn’t be doing this’ but carry on doing it anyway? Lots of people have that feeling – particularly when dealing with food.
So when you feel as if you are on autopilot, and are continuing behaviours you know are bad for you, how do you stop?
Although it may seem incredibly difficult to make these changes, it is often much simpler than you might think.
The first step is to recognise what you are gaining from your behaviour: does it relax you? Make you feel calm? Comfort you in moments of stress? If you can understand WHY you have a compulsion to, say, constantly snack and nibble you can start to address the underlying cause.
The second step is to identify WHAT causes you to turn to the biscuit tin and look objectively at cause and effect: is it dealing with the bills? The in-laws? Your job? If you understand the why and the what you can plan to do something about it.
The third and final step…TAKE ACTION! It doesn’t have to be huge or radically life changing, but if you take a small step towards a simple goal you’ve made a start. Each time you successfully walk past the crisp packet you are one step closer to conquering your addiction.
If you can manage to distract yourself from the chocolate digestives for the length of time it takes to fill in the crossword, or brew a cup of tea then you have succeeded!
Most people fail simply because their initial goal is too ambitious, and this inevitably reinforces a cycle of failure, making it less likely that they will try again.
Once you’ve succeeded in a small way, reaching more ambitious targets will become easier and more intuitive for you.
If dealing with stressful situations involves emptying the biscuit tin, find another activity to distract yourself. Remember; it’s not hunger, it’s solace.
If you have been seeking comfort in the crumbs of a crisp packet think of something else that calms you.
In order to take control of your habits and transform your life, simply follow these three, easy steps for successful and positive change.
Understand WHY you snack, identify WHAT causes you to open the packet and make the decision to CHANGE your habits through small, easily achievable goals.
Good luck!