Truly chemistry is involved in changing all habits—who knew?
The following blog post by James Clear explains how it all works in our brains and how changing habits works (or doesn’t). See if you can find your ‘sticking points’ after reading this article by James Clear. The good news is that you can change all those ‘sticking points.’ You first have to identify them. Only you can do that for you. Or you could hire me to come live with you for a bit…I would find them for you. (On second thought, let’s ixnay that idea…lol.) Seriously, this article can be an eye opener.
The-Chemistry-of-Building-Better-Habits
Here are the main players in the chemistry involved:
Dopamine is the first chemical reaction that takes place in the brain. It motivates, and is the signal that what you’re about to do is satisfying, for instance, eating a piece of chocolate cake.
Your brain already knows the reward (satisfaction of eating sweets). The dopamine drives you to find that chocolate cake (motivation for the reward). After eating it, you get the reward.
In order to change this automatic habit, the ‘silent middle part’ has to change: switch out the sugary chocolate cake for a healthier option. This is where the challenge happens. The habit is always going for the chocolate cake.
Your best fix is to switch up with a healthier sweet option at the moment you’re about to reach for the chocolate cake or in the middle of eating it, stop. Either switch to something healthier, or just stop eating it right there. Let that feeling sit with you.
Ask yourself what’ll happen if you stop eating the chocolate cake? What will your body feel? Does anything else come up?
Understanding your emotional triggers is critical to changing the habit. Stopping it right in the middle, over and over again is when you’ll begin to see results in forming your new habit.
The ‘rules’ have changed
The old 21-days-to-change-a-habit rule is out. New research has shown that it can take from 18 – 285 days! That’s almost 10 months. There’s another rule called the 3-3-3 rule. This one came out of animal shelter experiences with dogs, since they’re so close to humans in emotional reactions).
The first three days are the hardest. This is when the internal psychological ‘fight’ happens. Change is hard and we don’t want the new environment, or change, whatever it may be. It usually takes 3 days to process the change, which usually includes a great amount of mental and emotional struggle.
It takes three weeks to adapt and feel somewhat comfortable (the groundwork has been laid). Now there’s a feeling of manageability. Finally, three months must pass for this new habit to be integrated into daily habits.
Real life experience
My experience with my Mom makes this one so real.
Just when she thought she was going to go home (even though she wasn’t remotely able to live alone without care), she was moved to a home for healthcare. She fought tooth and nail to go home. Defiance and anger were present, and after about 3 days she then willingly began to accept the food and help she was receiving.
True to the above formula, after three weeks passed, she became ‘ok’ with being where she was, however, she continued to ask when she could go home.
At three months she stopped complaining and asking to go home. The habit of living in her own home was ingrained in her f9r her entire adult life. She’s an example of a huge change, all at once. That was really hard.
Starting small is always the best option
Changing habits is challenging for anyone. The best option that makes the most sense, is to start with small changes. This allows your brain to adapt to the change without a huge shock. If you’d like some guidance with this, contact me.
Clara E Minor
Master Instructor-Trainer
MINORSAN Self-Defense & Fitness
831.600.5858