If your New Year’s resolution involves breaking bad habits, waiting until January 1st might leave you playing catch-up
To set yourself up for success, Nilou Esmaeilpour of Lotus Therapy offers a five-step guide to quit nagging tendencies for good.
These methods can help you take control and start 2025 as the best version of yourself.
1. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)
EFT, or tapping, combines psychological techniques with acupressure to reduce the intensity of urges tied to habits like nail-biting and skin-picking.
Nilou explains: “By tapping on specific meridian points – such as the outer corners of the eyes, the point between your nose and upper lip, and just below the collarbones – while focusing on the urge, you can significantly decrease the desire to continue the behaviour.”
2. Breathing Exercises
Breathwork is an effective way to combat triggers behind habits like doom-scrolling or fidgeting.
Techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing or box breathing can calm your nervous system and redirect your focus.
“Directing your attention to your breath can bring a sense of calm and give you a mental break from the urge to engage in these habits,” says Nilou.
“It’s a tool you can use anywhere, anytime.”
3. Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy uses deep relaxation to reprogram the subconscious mind and address the stress or triggers behind harmful habits.
“By accessing the subconscious, hypnotherapy can reduce the frequency of these behaviors,” Nilou explains.
“It’s especially effective in relieving the underlying stress that often fuels them.”
For added convenience, self-administered hypnotherapy—guided by recordings—can also help tackle bad habits.
4. Pick Up an Offline Hobby
Hands-on hobbies like knitting, crocheting, or reading can replace destructive habits while providing a sense of achievement.
“Picking up a hobby keeps your hands and mind occupied, reducing the urge to engage in bad habits,” an expert from Vape Globe shares.
“It’s also a productive way to relieve stress and stay distracted.”
5. Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is a proven technique for managing compulsive habits like face-touching or nail-biting.
With countless free guides available online, this approach is accessible and easy to start.
“Regular meditation helps you observe urges without acting on them,” Nilou explains. “It rewires your brain’s response to triggers, giving you greater control over these behaviors.”
Instead of waiting until January to make a change, try integrating these techniques into your routine now.
Whether you embrace tapping, breath-work, or a new hobby, these approaches can help you move into the new year free from harmful habits and ready to embrace positive change.
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