Old Habits

They say "old habits die hard" and they, whoever they are, are so right. Old habits behave like spiderwebs, lurking all around you but somehow surprising you when you're all tangled up in them. People often wonder how to break old habits, but I am most fond of simply creating new ones in new spaces. For example, I used to get off work, go home, crack a cold beer and call my friends to complain about work. In my opinion, it was good for me. A little venting and a little wind down juice. But soon I realized by body deserved better quality stress relief and my friends and family deserved to hear about more than just my work frustrations. 

Instead of fumbling around in my dungeon of complaints, trying to confront an old habit, I created a new one. I'd get off work and go to a new place with my laptop and write. The new space helped create a divide between work and home life and the writing gave me a healthier way to work through the concerns of the day. By the time I actually made it home, I was over my work stress and I could call and have more upbeat conversations with my friends and family. 

The scripture talks about being transformed by the renewal of your mind. Support that renewal by giving yourself a space to do that. A space that is not competing with old habits and bad behaviors. Sometimes your most comfortable environments are where your worst habits live. They rest in the places you are most relaxed, the places you feel free to behave the way you want.  They sit alongside the people that are least likely to challenge you and rest in the places you are least likely to challenge yourself.  You know where your triggers are and how they are likely to rear their ugly heads. Don't try to battle with them and exert some unfounded power over them. Find a new space and fill that space with something new.