How to Break Habits

Humans are often called creatures of habit; however, instead of helping us thrive, habits often keep us from living a healthy, fulfilled life. It’s no surprise, then, that many Americans start each New Year with hopes of getting rid of those bad habits for once and for all. According to the Statistic Brain website, 45% of Americans usually make New Year’s resolutions. However, only 8% of people are able to achieve their New Year’s goals, the rest fall back into their habits, until it’s time to make a resolution yet again.

So, what exactly are habits and why is it so hard to break them? According to the Positive Psychology News Daily, habits are automatic behaviors that occur without much conscious thought. They are created through repetition, and eventually so deeply ingrained into our lives that the behavior becomes automated. Breaking habits is extremely difficult because they enable us to do things without consciously thinking about each step or action involved in any task, writes Ray Williams, the author of Breaking Bad Habits, in Psychology Today. He adds that while the human brain processes a hundred billion bits of information each second, we’re only aware of around two thousand. This means that much of our behavior and thinking is automatic and unconscious, making it easier for habits to control our thoughts and behavior.

If you’re looking to eliminate bad habits from your life, the good news is that it can be done. Below, we’ve featured a video excerpt from one of Sadhguru’s live talks where he addresses how we all can break habits:

How will you use Sadhguru’s insight into habits to improve your life? Share it with us below!