Behavior Modification

Is there something you know is bad for your health and potential for wellness, but in spite of that knowledge you do it anyway?  Perhaps you watch too much T.V. or stay up too late, or maybe it’s a toxic relationship, or most likely it’s something you put into your body.  We all do this, right?  Oh, we may feel guilty about it afterwards or pledge that we’re never going to do that again.  But the reality is that everything we do, we do because we want to – it gives us instant pleasure.  So the experts, advisors, or judgers in our lives will instruct us that we need to change our behavior.  Let me assure you that this approach will never work because all our behaviors are driven by our beliefs.  Until you change the way you believe or feel about something any attempt at changing the behavior will be short-lived.  Here is an exercise in “belief” modification.

Focus on that behavior that you know is not good for you – the one you do anyway.  Then close your eyes and think of the last time you indulged in this behavior.  While doing this, write down every thought you can recall or the conversation in your head that allowed you to indulge this behavior.  This internal dialogue is your actual subconscious belief about that behavior and it is a lie and merely a rationalization that you’ve programmed yourself to accept over time to provide you temporary pleasure at the expense of your health.  Now write down the consequences of continuing to engage in this unhealthy behavior.  Then right down the consequences (benefits) of changing or eliminating that behavior.  Finally, I want you to look at these consequences and benefits and write a true statement of how your life would be improved when you alter this behavior.  This statement needs to become your new internal dialogue and you need to write this down on a few index cards and post it on your mirror, your fridge, in your car, put a note in your pocket – anywhere you can review it multiple times each day.  You should review this every day for 30 days and see what changes.