Many of us have various bad habits and most people would like to break them. Lots of people say they’re  going to break this habit or that habit, but unfortunately it never happens. First of all, you should commit to a goal because many people embark on the path of breaking a bad habit without being certain that they really want to change. Breaking habits is a difficult task, so if you aren’t fully committed to it, you aren’t likely to change. Second of all, you have to understand your habit as most habitual behaviors are patterns that have evolved because they have been rewarded in some way.

Habits make it easier to perform a common task, or to deal with various emotional states. You have to examine the context of your habit, and determine the situation and emotional context that triggers the habit. After that, you have to make a plan because studies show that having a clear, specific plan greatly increases your chances of success in breaking the habit. You should visualize success and think about how your’re going to be in the future without having the bad habit.

Practice mindfulness as mindfulness trains your brain to respond to situations differently. Change your environment and surround yourself with positive people who want to see you succeed. Start small, take tiny steps with patience, and don’t get mad when things don’t go the way you wanted. Remember to breathe and start over again.

Reward your success and whenever you see yourself completing something, buy yourself an ice cream or something to celebrate. Finally, you should always stay kind and be positive. If you say, “I’m going to do this,” it’s most likely going to become true. Take your time and don’t rush–just take the necessary time and be positive about changing.