“What does help us get to where we want to go? According to Charles Duhigg, author of the recent book, The Power of Habits, understanding how habits form is a key to changing them. Understanding our mindless behavior includes bringing it to consciousness by slowing it down. I remember hearing the story (an urban legend by now) of the man who goes to the Indian guru, and says, “I have struggled for so many years to stop smoking – I’ve hid them from myself, asked others to hide them, tried non-nicotine products, the patch, avoided the kiosk on my way home from work, EVERYTHING, and I still can’t stop smoking.” The guru replies, “My friend, my task for you is to smoke a cigarette so mindfully that you’re aware of every single second of it.” “But guru, I want to quit smoking, not continue it.” “Do as I say,” replied the guru. So the man went to the outskirts of the town where he was by himself. He sat down, took out his comforting cigarette. He felt somewhat ridiculous (in fact, uncomfortable) and as mindfully as he could, he lit the cigarette. He began to notice the smell – it was pretty acrid. He began to notice the taste – dry and somewhat stale. He inhaled and felt the smoke travel down his throat and into his lungs taking with it a certain life force – almost like how the rain floods take both the good and bad soil as they travel downwards. He envisioned the smoke and nicotine actually turning his lungs black. By no means was this a pleasant experience, as it had usually been. It was awful! He couldn’t believe what he was doing to himself! After consciously smoking half of the cigarette, he had to put it out. It was too much, too disgusting. From that point on, he didn’t touch a cigarette again.” Get more here: Change Is Uncomfortable « Holistic Gardner Blog.
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