Updating A Habit

Breaking a habit is old, outdated advice. Find out the updated method in this mini podcast.

 Grasshopper Notes are the writings from America's Best Known Hypnotherapist John Morgan. His podcasts contain his most responded to essays and blog posts from the past two decades. 

Find the written versions of these podcasts on John's podcasting site: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628038

"The Grasshopper" is the part of you that whispers pearls of wisdom that  seem to pop into your mind from out of the blue. John's essays and blog posts are his interpretations of these "Nips of Nectar." Others have labeled his writings as timeless wisdom. 

Most of the John's writings revolve around self improvement and self help. They address topics like:

• Mindfulness
• Peace of mind
• Creativity
• How to stay in the present moment
• Spirituality
• Behavior improvement

And stories that transform you to a wider sense of awareness that presents more options. And isn't that what we all want, more options? 

John uploads these podcasts on a regular basis. So check back often to hear these podcasts heard around the world. Who wants to be the next person to change? 

Make sure to order a copy of John's new book: WISDOM OF THE GRASSHOPPER – 21 Days to Creativity. These mini-meditations take you inside where all your creative resources live. And you'll come out not only refreshed but recommitted to creating your future. 

It's only $16.95 and available at BLURB.COM at the link below. https://www.blurb.com/b/10239673-wisd...

Also, download John's FREE book INTER RUPTION: The Magic Key To Lasting Change. It's available at John's website  https://GrasshopperNotes.com

Transcript

Updating a Habit

Growing up, maybe your experience was like mine. Whenever someone wanted to change a behavior, the advice was always the same: "Break the habit."

The problem? It rarely worked.

Broken habits are a lot like broken bones. Given enough time, they tend to knit themselves back together.

It wasn't until I was well into adulthood that I discovered a better approach.

In fact, I wrote a book about it. You can download it for free at GrasshopperNotes.com.

What I learned is that habits don't need to be broken. They need to be interrupted.

The key is to catch the habit while it's happening. Put a pause between the stimulus and your automatic reaction. Create a little space where a different response can take root.

Do that often enough, and something interesting happens.

You don't break the habit—you outgrow it.

And when you outgrow something, it no longer makes sense to you.

Think about the clothes you wore as a teenager. Nobody had to break you of that habit. You simply outgrew it.

Most of us wouldn't be caught dead wearing those outfits today—not even on Halloween. In fact, looking at old photos can be downright embarrassing.

But those clothes served a purpose back then. Maybe they helped you fit in. Maybe they helped you feel accepted, cool, or part of the group.

Today, wearing them would probably get you some puzzled looks.

Old habits work the same way. They often served a purpose at one time, but eventually they stop serving you.

When you consistently interrupt a behavior pattern, you're not destroying it. You're updating it.

Think of it like a software update. An app you downloaded years ago may still have the same name, but after dozens of updates it's far more useful than it was originally. Without those updates, it would be obsolete.

So if you're stepping onto a stage, by all means, break a leg.

But when it comes to habits, maybe it's time to retire the idea of breaking them.

Instead, update them.

All the best,

John