ASK THE EXPERT
HUGH BYRNE BY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON
Pulse : In your research for the book , what are some of the common factors that drive people to forming destructive habits ? Hugh Bryne : People normally form destructive habits as a way to avoid or deal with a difficult or painful experience — in the way a young child might start eating unhealthily if she isn ’ t getting the love or care she needs — or to have a pleasant experience , often not realizing the cost of indulging in that experience once it has become habitual or addictive ( as with taking a recreational drug ).
P : What could be some of the factors that hinder habit change ? B : A number of factors can hinder habit change . A lack of
What ’ s the secret to habit change ?
HUGH BYRNE , author of The Here-and- Now Habit : How Mindfulness Can Help You Break Unhealthy Habits Once and For All ( published by New Harbinger Publications ), says intention is key to changing habits .
“ As Yogi Berra said , ‘ if you don ’ t know where you ’ re going , you ’ ll end up someplace else .’ Intention provides our compass , our direction ,” Byrne says . “ It connects us to our deepest values and intentions . It brings us back to what matters most
to us . But it must also Check be accompanied out Byrne ’ s book at by other practices — newharbinger . com for example , the practices of mindfully staying present with our difficult experiences .” clarity about how important it is to you to change a habit can prevent meaningful change because life will tend to come along and you ’ ll forget to carry out your commitment or forget why you wanted to make the change . Beliefs that you can ’ t make the change — that you don ’ t have the strength or will-power can also be an obstacle . You can work mindfully with this kind of belief through practices of inquiry — exploring the belief and asking whether this is really true and ‘ who would I be without this belief ?’ A lack of consistency or half-heartedness can also hinder habit change . It is important to repeat the new habit or to practice not repeating the old unhealthy habit and consistently enough so that our brain learns new habits , and establishes a new default setting .
52 PULSE ■ January / February 2017