In a normal day, almost everything we do is done out of habit. We have daily and weekly routines that help us organize our lives. Habits simplify our lives. Imagine if you woke up with no idea where the bathroom might be, what your schedule was, or what responsibilities you faced. Life would be stressful beyond belief.
Consequently, we all develop habits which help us organize our days, others that help us achieve our most important goals, and others that undermine us every step of the way. People who are successful at overcoming alcohol abuse are those who successfully alter these latter undermining and self-destructive habits.
As we often note – giving up alcohol is relatively easy, as anyone who has quit for a week or two knows, it’s breaking the habits associated with drinking that trip people up time after time.
But you can change that:
Alter your thinking, change your behaviors,
Change your behavior, alter your feelings;
Alter your feelings, change your thinking;
Change your thinking, behavior, and feelings and change your life!
This is the essence of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and how it supports eliminating your alcohol abuse and dependence. Think about the power of that sequence! To a remarkable degree your success or failure is the result of simple thoughts and ordinary daily habits – and their power to change the way you feel so that you no longer need alcohol.
So, why not intentionally choose daily habits that take you where you want to go in life? In our work we encourage clients to make fundamental decisions about the habits they want in their lives. We encourage them to be clear, specific and committed to each of them. But the focus is on actively doing things that replace the drinking, do a better job of meeting the same needs, and do it productively and in sustainable ways.
Choose simple, positive habits that enhance your life. Reduce them to clear, specific actions you habitually take every day. Develop your own positive habits that move you away from alcohol and toward your goals and create the life you want.
Like it or not, life is made of our daily habits. Those who succeed in overcoming alcohol abuse, and other self-destructive habits, choose habits that reflect their values and move them toward their most important goals. Unfortunately, many of us have substituted the short term benefits of drinking habits that are comfortable, but which actually detract from our most important goals.
Of course you want to stop doing that to yourself. But you may also need help figuring out how the make that transition. So, give us a call and let us help you explore the possibilities.
