We all have mental habits. While they might not be obvious or we’re not conscious of them, we can feel and perceive their effect. Habits require 3 things: a trigger, habitual action, and a reward.
When you get triggered, your brain starts reading that trigger leading to a reward. Most times, this is not readily apparent to you, but that’s how your brain works. And the sooner you understand this, the sooner you you tap into your vast reserve of personal power.
Your brains also understands that once it perceives the trigger and associate it with a reward, it has to do something in the middle. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean taking physical action.
It could be something you can say, but most times it involves thinking. Regardless, there has to be some action on either a mental, verbal, or physical level. In essence, this is how habits work. And the same applies to mental habits. So, you get the trigger, the reward, and the thoughts you kick around to get that reward.
But here’s the problem. You may feel frustrated with some areas of your life. You may even think you’re trapped in that part of your life because you’re not totally happy, content, or you feel something is missing or off.
Responding To Bad Habits
The good news is that you don’t have to respond in a way that makes you unhappy or less content. In fact, you DO have a say in the matter. It’s not a foregone conclusion that you’re going to feel unhappy. So how do you turn things around?
In a word, it’s quite straightforward. First, identify the triggers and rewards. What are the triggers that started this negative thought? Maybe you heard somebody say something, it’s a memory, or a predictable situation.
Regardless of what’s happening, identify the trigger and pick it apart to see what kind of reward you associate it with. This reward may be a feeling of control related to you getting your life together or taking ownership of a situation. You could even feel perfect, satisfied, or sad in a predictable way.
Some people view being angry or sad predictably as some sort of reward. In reality, they have become accustomed to that angry or sad emotion state. For the most part, it’s their way of coping with past trauma.
How To Resolve Your Mental Habits
In general, you can choose a different mental and emotion response to triggers and rewards. Albeit it won’t happen overnight, but the more you practice doing it, the better you get at it. After all, practice makes perfect, so start today.
With this in mind, below are some tips to better understand how to identify and resolve your mental habits to happier and more content ones.
1. Positive Thinking is Powerful
Research suggests cultivating positive thoughts and emotions improves our mental health and well-being. Therefore, practicing gratitude, visualizing positive outcomes, and focusing on positive sea-talk helps develop positive mental habits. Moreover, it improves the overall sense of happiness and contentment.
2. Mindfulness
Mindfulness meditation, deep breathing, and yoga can alter your thoughts, awareness, and emotions. In short, it increases self-awareness and leads to identifying negative habits. Not to mention, developing more positive ones. Studies show that practicing mindfulness reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, thus improving overall mental health.
3. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a psychotherapy that can help identify negative thinking and behavior patterns and replace them with positive ones. It is the idea that our thoughts and beliefs influence our emotions and behaviors. So, by changing our views and opinions, we can change how we feel and act. Researchers believe that CBT can effectively change depression, anxiety and mental conditions.
4. Social Support Boosts Mental Habits
Having a supportive network of friends and family can also help develop positive habits. Researchers believe that social support reduces stress and improves mental health. Consequently, participating in a support group or community activities help develop positive social connections and improves mental health and well-being.
Marcey,
XOXO
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DISCLAIMER: The content in this blog is for informational purposes only. And not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition or replace your healthcare professional’s advice and guidance. If you suspect a medical condition, please seek medical attention immediately.
