I often use the term “we’re creatures of habit”. I’ve found it so true in life. When given an option, we will consistently revert to our most comfortable choice. We make these comfortable choices our habits.
Have you ever noticed how you will automatically migrate to the same seat in school, church or movie theater? We’ve sat in that seat before and found ourselves comfortable sitting there. Whenever we walk into that room, we will automatically return to that same seat or one nearby. We’ve made it a habit.
Do you find yourself going through the same routine when going to bed at night? Perhaps you check the doors, shut out the lights, brush your teeth, and then go to bed. You do this every night without fail. What happens when something interrupts that habit? Did you forget to check the doors? Did you forget to shut off the light? When something interrupts our routine or habit, it tends to throw us off.
When our children were young, we tried to follow the same routine when putting them to bed. They’d get their baths, they’d put on whichever jammies they selected, they’d jump into bed, we’d read them a story, we’d say prayers, we’d tell them we loved them and then we would turn off the light and leave the room. Establishing that routine or habit put them in their comfy place, their comfort zone. That allowed them to fall asleep more easily. When that routine was interrupted for whatever reason, they often had trouble getting to sleep.
We develop all kinds of good habits that help us through our day. We can also develop bad habits. Have you ever known anyone who smoked cigarettes? What’s the first thing they did when they became stressed? They reached for a cigarette. Although unhealthy, they found comfort in smoking. If they ever tried to quit, besides the addiction to nicotine, they found it very difficult because smoking was their comfort place. Most people who have successfully quit smoking did so after finding a different comfort place of which to go.
Habits can be either good or bad for us. They can protect us and make us feel comfortable, but they can also lead to an unhealthy crutch. I once knew a guy who chewed his fingernails when he got nervous. Sometimes he chewed them back so far, his fingers would bleed. That had to hurt. I never understood how injuring himself could make him feel comfortable, but that was the habit he chose to revert to when things got tough.
Habits are learned behavior. At some point in our life, we discovered comfort in the routine we were establishing. If it led to healthy behavior, it was a good habit. If it led to unhealthy behavior, it was a bad habit. The key, however, was that behavior, that habit, was learned.
Can we learn to break or dissolve a bad habit? Sure, we can. It’s not always easy, but it can be done. For example, let’s consider a person who has a tendency to eat more snacks when they become bored. When boredom sets in, they automatically start thinking about snacking. If they reach for a healthy snack, that’s probably not a big issue, but if they reach for a snack high in sugar, salt or fat, then that habit can become a big problem.
Breaking that habit entirely might be pretty tough. It may have to be done in stages. Obviously, the key is to never become bored by keeping yourself busy, but that might be a tougher nut to crack. Maybe the person could start by eliminating the unhealthy snacks kept in their household and replacing them with healthier options. Instead of a cookie, maybe that person could have a piece of fruit. Instead of ice cream, maybe they could have yogurt. Instead of a piece of cake, maybe they could have celery or carrot sticks. That makes their habit a little healthier. When they’re finally ready to tackle the real problem, they can work on activities that will keep them busy so they won’t become bored.
This is called modifying your behavior.
Do you find yourself waking up grumpy in the morning? If allowed, it can become a habit. If that’s what you always do when you wake up, you will continue to do it until you make a conscious effort to change. Do you find yourself avoiding people and wanting to be alone? If allowed, that can become a habit, too. It may be uncomfortable for you to be around people, but did you know that isolation can actually make your Myasthenia Gravis symptoms worse and maybe even cause it to progress more rapidly? Isolation can cause a host of other problems, as well. Have you ever had your mind try to convince you that you can’t do something because you have MG? That can become a habit. If we tell ourselves something long enough, we begin to believe it.
So, how do you break these bad habits? You begin by making a conscious effort to replace bad habits with good habits. Instead of waking up and looking for things to be grumpy about, open the curtains, look outside, feel the sunshine, hear the birds sing, it’s going to be a good day. It’s hard to stay grumpy when you recognize you’re surrounded by God’s blessings.
At some point in time, you may have found that isolating yourself from others made you feel more comfortable than putting up with them. Let’s change that. Call a friend. Go out and do something. Take a walk. Go shopping. When you’re out, force yourself to smile and greet others with a nod or a “hello”. That’s not difficult to do and you’ll probably be amazed at how quickly it changes your attitude. The amazing thing is you will find others smiling back at you. That feels good. In fact, it’ll feel so good, you’re going to want to try it again and again. Not everyone will acknowledge your kindness, but some will, and some is all you need to make a difference.
The next time you catch yourself thinking you can’t do something because you have Myasthenia Gravis, as long as it’s safe, try it! See whether it’s your mind or your body that’s telling you that you can’t do it. If it’s your body, then you might have to work a little harder to build up your strength before attempting it again. If it’s your mind, then with a little work, you can overcome it.
I had a friend who always wanted to run marathons. She could easily run 2 to 3 miles with no problem and did so several times a week just to stay in shape, but 26.2 miles was another story altogether. She asked someone who ran marathons to help her. The marathoner not only helped her in her strength and endurance training, but also helped her with the number one reason why most people give up while trying to run a marathon: her mind. Your mind will try to set limits for you that may or may not be accurate. Your mind will tell you that you can’t do something long before your body needs to give up. To overcome this, my friend would wait for her mind to tell her it was time to give up, and them push just a little further. She continued to do this day after day until she no longer listened to her mind and started listening to her body. She was running marathons in no time. Her body was capable of doing it all along. It was her mind that was holding her back.
The next time your mind tells you that you can’t do something, see what your body has to say about it. If your body gives you the go ahead, push through what your mind is trying to do to stop you.
I’ve had times while mowing the grass where my mind says, “I’m tired. I need to stop!”. My body, however, wasn’t sending me that same message. It took a few attempts before I could push through what my mind was telling me, but I did, and now I’m completing all the mowing, trimming and edging in the same day. I’ve also experienced times when my body has reached its limits and I knew I better listen. I’ve been on long walks where I started scuffing the sole of my shoe on the ground because my leg was weakening and I was beginning to drag it. I’ve even tripped and fallen because my legs were too weak to hold me. I’ve learned to listen to my body and when I start to scuff my shoe, I know it’s time for me to rest. My body rarely lies. My mind lies to me all the time.
If you have bad habits, I encourage you to find ways to break them or at least replace them with healthier alternatives. Repetition is the key to developing good habits. The more you practice, the quicker a behavior will become a habit. You’ll know you’re there when you automatically revert to a habit without even having to think about it. Make a point of smiling more. Make a point of greeting people. Make a point of choosing healthier snacks. Make a point of waking up and recognizing all the blessings God has given you. If you make it a point to do these things every day, they soon will become habits.
It’s become my habit to write blogs for you. I’m greatly enjoying this habit.
Thanks so much for reading them!