Why Changing Habits is Hard & How Mindfulness Helps

Why Is Changing Habits So Difficult?

Breaking unhealthy habits and forming new ones is challenging because habits operate on autopilot. Our brains follow a predictable habit loop:

1. Trigger: The cue that starts the habit
2. Behavior: The automatic action we take
3. Reward: The benefit we get from the behavior

The Science Behind Habit Formation

Habits form through repetition and reinforcement. When a behavior consistently delivers a reward, our brains create neural pathways that make the action automatic. This explains why:

• Bad habits are hard to break (they're deeply wired)
• New habits feel difficult (they lack established pathways)

How Mindfulness Rewires Habits

Mindfulness helps by bringing awareness to the habit loop. Instead of fighting willpower, try this approach:

1. Notice your triggers: What situations prompt your habit?
2. Observe the behavior: What are you actually doing?
3. Evaluate the reward: Is it truly satisfying?

Practical Example: Phone Checking Habit

• Trigger: Boredom or notification
• Behavior: Reaching for your phone
• Reward: Dopamine hit from new content

Ask yourself:
- Does scrolling feel better than being present?
- How does this affect my real-life interactions?

3 Steps to Change Habits Mindfully

1. Pause when you notice the urge
2. Get curious about what you're feeling
3. Choose consciously your response

This method works because it:

• Disrupts automatic patterns
• Helps you notice diminishing returns of bad habits
• Makes space for better choices

Additional Resources

• How to Change Your Habits with Mindfulness
• Habit-Change Tools for Anxiety
• Making Gratitude a Daily Practice