36 lessons Leo Babauta, who will help to change habits

1. Small changes are fast becoming the norm

Imagine you were in another country. An unfamiliar language, unfamiliar food, strange people around. Adapt to this once very difficult. But small changes quickly get used to, they are almost invisible and painless becoming the norm.

2. Easier to start small

Fundamental changes require a lot of time. Difficult to find in your schedule just two hours free time on a new habit. Therefore do better gradually. For example, you quickly get used to engage in sports, if the start of all with a few exercises a day.

3. It is important to save power

Trenazhorka every day for at least 30 minutes - before putting a global problem, perhaps you'll be eager to seek him at first. But because of the enthusiasm subsides daily fatigue. The smaller forces will take up a new habit, the more chance you have to save it.

4. Habits due triggers

Trigger - these are the conditions that trigger the action. For example, some people at work first thing turns on the computer, and then automatically check the mail. In this case, start the PC - Trigger and elektronku view - a habit. It turns out that a kind of reflex: Turn on the computer - then we need to understand the letter.

5. Habit with occasional or multiple triggers - harder

Easier to develop the habit of a daily one trigger. For example, to meditate in the morning after a cup of water.

However, if the trigger is unstable, then get used to the new complex. So, it's hard not to be angry with criticism: you do not know at what point will point out your flaws.

The same applies to multiple triggers. For example, smoking is often provoke several reasons: stress, alcohol, a desire to communicate. Therefore the craving for cigarettes is so strong.

6. By the simple act is easy to get used to

Start with innovations that require only a few minutes a day and you will enjoy. For example, drink fresh juice in the morning to get used healthy eating. Simple rituals trained ability to follow habits, and do you trust yourself.

7. You need to trust yourself

If a person promises something and does not comply, whether it will change your attitude towards it? Surely yes. The one who always keeps his word, do you respect more?

Just with the obligations to oneself. If you pluck, vowing not to eat after 18:00, the limit credibility gradually melts. On the contrary: the more data you keep a promise, the more trust yourself and quickly produces complex habits.

8. Water wears away the stone

We want all at once. So often people give birth at the same time 10 good habits, believing that this life will soon become better. But in the end they can not control all the innovations and, having broken one, throw the rest. It is better to change the life of a little, without haste. After a while you will see to what global transformation result of these steps.

9. No matter what the change in the first place

Life is not a sprint. Life - it's a marathon. Keep this in mind when you wrestle with what is more important - to run in the morning or to quit smoking. In fact, it does not matter how habits start. In the end, you get to each of them. But it is better to choose the one that causes less resistance.

10. Energy depends on sleep

The first is directly proportional to the second. If you enough sleepYou do not have enough forces on the planned rituals. The more you get tired, the more often will moonlight: I had a very difficult day - today we can not learn new foreign words.

11. The collapse of the usual routine leads to failure

People often refuse from certain habits on weekends, during holiday time, when suddenly come to visit. In short, when collapsing zavedonny routine.

This is due to the fact that the trigger is not activated, which triggers the repetition of habit. For example, you meditate after a morning coffee and a party where you happen to prefer tea.

Or because of the regime change, you just do not have time or strength to rituals: a vacation you went around on foot 17 attractions, is then still need to do push-ups?

12. It should take into account possible difficulties

Another common cause of failure from certain habits - the inability to predict the difficulties that will arise on the way. For example, you decide to eat less sweet and you go for a visit. You have to anticipate what will be on the table a lot of temptations, and to take care of the food for themselves. Otherwise, the failure is almost inevitable.

13. You need to keep track of your thoughts

We all talk to ourselves. The process takes place unconsciously, and that's fine. Bad if you have a head spinning negative thoughts: "I can not," "It's too hard" or "Why am I myself in something I limit?". Take care that utter to himself and found himself panikorskih moods, chase them away.

14. You should not give in to impulses

The next time you want to smoke, eat at night or score on exercise, try not to reach immediately to the cigarette lighter or the refrigerator handle. Stop and think about what triggered this desire? So whether it is strong, as it seems? After a pause and analyze impulse will be easier to resist the temptation.

15. Proper motivation drives temptation

Compare: "I do not eat fat to lose weight" and "I do not eat fat to lose weight and live a long healthy life." Which of these motives more, in your opinion?

If a person just wants to lose weight, focusing on standards of beauty, it will be difficult to follow a diet. But if he knows that it affects their health and longevity, the incentive will be much more powerful.

specify your motivation and record. Reread whenever temptation grabs you.

16. Positive emotions help to develop the habit

Which is easier: to lie on the couch or play sports? Of course, the first one. Therefore, it is within us a positive feedback. To develop the habit, it is necessary to form a positive response. This helps responsibility. For example, invite a friend to run together (an appointment - has accepted the obligations). So you get the pleasure of communicating, and thus the future will start the habit does not cause negative.

17. Match - catalyst for progress

Allow your friends to catch you on the weak. A whole week can not eat sugar? And the forces of six weeks to go to the gym? When you are challenged, you quickly accustom themselves to those or other actions. competition also makes you more responsible and evoke positive emotions (see. previous paragraph).

18. Because of the concessions you stop trusting yourself

"Will not be a cake from nothing" - following the logic of "just for once and more no-no", you almost kapituliruete to their weaknesses. For "razochkom" is another, and the third, and... Exceptions form you thinking that favors - it is normal (not every day the same ?!). In fact, it undermines their credibility.

19. Habit - a reward, not a punishment

Do not take the introduction of new positive habits like hard work. If you treat training as a service, you are experiencing negative emotions and a long time you do not have enough. Find a way to love the class, for example experiment with sports. So you start to have fun and secure the habit.

20. Fall easier if several innovations

Conduct an experiment: Get five new habits. Check how long you can last. Follow the same ritual unfamiliar much easier than just a few. Rational to focus on a single habit, and when it comes to automatism, go to the next.

21. distractions are inevitable

Like everything new, beginning this or that habit encourages: You are full of energy. But sooner or later, self-control is weakened. You do not have to think about the habits of 24 hours a day - you just need to think about them every day. Deviations from the intended purpose are inevitable, but if you miss a workout several times, do not throw the sport. Review your motivation and focus again on the task at hand.

22. Publicity well disciplined

If you blog or in social media to announce his diet, and promised every two weeks to lay out your photos, you will be responsible. After all, who wants to lose face in front of your friends?

23. It is necessary to learn from mistakes

Failures are inevitable and must be able to learn from them. Each person is different. What works for one may not be generalizable to others. And without the sample did not know which techniques are effective for you. Mistakes - it is a way to know yourself and thus become better.

24. The ratio determines the result

As already mentioned, break everything. The question is, what do they do after? Having failed, people are inclined to self-flagellation. This is normal. However, the feeling of guilt often prevents learn the lesson and move on. Remember, people, successful in forming good habits - not those who do not make mistakes, and those who are after a miss finds the strength to continue to change their lives.

25. Habits learn to adjust and adapt

Remember to observe a ritual? Think about what is wrong and fix it. Not like its implementation? Find the cause of hostility and resolve it. If the head swarmed thoughts parasites ( "Why do I do it?"), Get rid of them.

26. Support family will not be broken

Who do you go when you hard? Whose opinion matters to you? Support for these people is very significant. Spouse (s), the best friend, colleague - when you are ready to send everything to hell, someone will have to tell you: "Hold on! You will succeed! "

27. Limitations are only in your mind

Often from people can be heard: "I can not give up sugar!" "I shall not be able to live without meat!" And they really can not, yet continue to think so. In fact, there is nothing inaccessible. But if you continue to believe that the sweet depends on your life, you do not get to refuse cakes.

28. The setting should not interfere

It is better, if it will help you. Decided to abstain sweet? Do not buy it. And say you know not to do it. Ask friends not to smoke in your presence, if you are struggling with this destructive habitual. You must create an environment that will help you change.

29. It should not have to think, and to do

Do not let yourself prokrastinirovat. Before jogging is possible to think about how you will be hard, how long it will take, how it's cold outside... And you can just lace up the running shoes and run. Get rid of mental barriers. To meditate, you just need to take a comfortable position. To write - open the text editor.

30. Enforced break - be

There are situations when it is impossible to follow the plan. For example, you are going on vacation in the village, and there is no swimming pool, where you try to walk every day for the past months. OK. But do not take this as an excuse to give up swimming. Clearly define the date when you will be able to return to their habit. And do it when the day comes.

31. Habits depend on the situation

Often triggers on the environment influences. Life is fast-paced and dynamic. For example, a trigger for your yoga classes - shower. The phone rang when you just came out of the bathroom, can unsettle, to switch to other cases. To this we must be prepared.

32. Bad habits can be beneficial to replace

Paradoxically, bad habits often necessary for us. For someone a cigarette - a way to relieve stress. If you lose this "antidepressant", you will start to fall apart on close. It is important to understand what causes the bad habit, and try to find her a more healthy alternative.

33. You have to be kind to yourself

Mad at yourself, blame yourself, when does not work - it does not help. Generally. Do not forget to praise themselves even mikrouspehi and regularly remind yourself that you are walking on the thorny road of struggle, trying to be happier, and it oh how difficult.

34. Perfectionism - evil

People often strive for perfection but it is a stick in the wheel of progress. If you miss the ritual due to non-ideal circumstances, for example do not meditate without the proper music, forget about perfectionism and just do what you must. Better small and badly than not.

35. Get used in tandem easier than alone

From a friend or colleague's much easier to start any business or adhere to certain habits. So, going on a diet, ask the spouse (wife) to join. You will be surprised how easy go case.

36. Changing habits - the way of self-knowledge

Habits - not only way to change lives, but also self-knowledge tool. Rooting or that ritual, you will learn about the many imagine: what motivates you as you are rational, some internal and external rewards work for you and other times. In just a few months of working on a you explore yourself more than the previous 10 years. Thus, to change habits is useful, regardless of the outcome.