E98: How to Break Bad Habits

Tapping into the power of habits is not just about discipline and will-power hacks. By pairing up these hacks with sound Biblical principles, you can make real progress on the actions that will fuel your goals. Listen in to Episode 98 of Just One Simple Thing where you’ll get three tips for breaking bad habits.
I know you were really serious about those goals and plans you set up back in January. But maybe you’ve had a hard time getting started on them. It can take a while to get that ball rolling and gain some momentum. That’s where habits intersect goals. When you are trying to make the changes it takes to reach your goals, a bad habit can trip you up.
For a concept that has such power to help us make transformations in our lives, habits are not specifically mentioned in the Bible very often. And when they are, it is almost exclusively about bad habits.
By looking at these “bad habits” in the Bible, we can find some strategies for taming our own bad habits, and work on some practical ways to implement them.
Exodus 21:28 -29
One way to break a bad habit is to create a barrier between ourselves and the habit ... something that makes the habit difficult or unattractive.
1 Timothy 5
We can also break bad habits by replacing them with actions that are more beneficial or productive.
Hebrews 10:24-25
Having someone who spurs us on and encourages us can help us break a bad habit. This is where accountability and tough grace collide with habits.
So there you have it ... the three best ways to break a bad habit ... put a barrier between you and the habit you want to break, replace it with something more beneficial or productive, and get an accountability partner.
ACTION STEP
Pick just one habit you want to break, or behavior you want to change (just one .. too much change at once is overwhelming) and make a plan to break it using these tips. Head to my free Facebook group Plan & Pray with Do A New Thing and download my Habit Planner so you can jot down your ideas based on these tips.
Thanks for joining me for the Habits series. Be sure to head back to Episode 97 where my friend Merritt Onsa shared the three ways that habits can nurture your God-dreams. And we’ll see you back here for the next episode where we’ll talk about how to create new habits. Invite a friend to join you!
RESOURCES
Devoted Dreamers Podcast Habits mini-episodes
Atomic Habits by James Clear

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