√ Once you decide that you want to eliminate a particular habit, take action immediately. If you delay, your intentions might fade away and the old habit could take an even stronger hold.
√ Schedule your bad habit. For instance, if you are trying to stop smoking, let yourself smoke only during a limited period; for instance between 10 am to 11 am.
√ As a next step, replace the old habit with a desirable habit. If you always have a cigarette with your morning coffee, skip the coffee and drink orange juice instead.
√ Sometimes, while we are in the process of making the new habit, the old habit might quietly sneak back. Keep checking on that and, if you find the old habit taking over again, reinforce the new habit with more verve.
√ Avoid focusing on the bad habit. If you do that, your undesirable habit might take a stronger hold instead of being eradicated.
√ Envisage yourself with the positives of a new habit or, alternately, envisage yourself without the negatives of an undesirable habit.
√ Publicize your decisions; let people that you trust know about the new change of habit.
√ Chuck out self-pity. This applies particularly to smoking. You might begin to feel that smoking was supporting or helping you and by quitting it, you are depriving yourself. If self-pity arises, you might resume smoking again so you will never be able to give it up.
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