The Method

  1. Define the habit you are dedicated to quit. Be clear about what behavior you are committed to changing, whether it be smoking, biting your nails, eating sugar, etc. Write down why you want to change it. How will you feel when you have conquered it?
  1. Resolve to remove the unwanted habit from your life. Commit yourself 100% to the process of retraining your brain in this specific area.
  1. Prepare for success. Don’t make it unnecessarily difficult to follow through with your goal. For example, if you are breaking the habit of eating fast food, make sure you have plenty of food options at home. Or if you bite your nails when you feel anxious, start taking a few minutes each day for breathing exercises, meditation, or some other activity you find relaxing.
  1. Train with consistency. The moment you feel the urge to engage in the bad habit, snap the band. Every. Single. Time. Your brain will start recognizing that the habit it used to find pleasurable - or necessary - is now causing discomfort and should be avoided. And remember, this is not a punishment! You are simply training your brain to change the feeling it associates with the bad habit.
  1. Reward your success! This might be as simple as putting an “X” mark in the calendar every day you accomplish your goal.