Q is for Quit It!/Start It!

Why the white space?  To give you pause.  Quit what? Start what?






Did you ever rearrange your kitchen cabinets or move the waste can only to go to reach for something and open the wrong door or go to throw something away and have it end up on the floor where the can used to be? Think about it. We are conditioned by habit. I remember years ago my Father told me that in order for something to become a habit, you had to do it every day for 21 days in a row.  If you miss a day, you have to start all over again until you have done it for 21 straight days.  After that your mind and body will be conditioned and the habit will be formed. Ergo, you will open the right door and go directly to the new location!

With this in mind, let's challenge ourselves.  Today is September 3, 2010.  If we decide on something we'd like to quit or something we'd like to start today, by the end of the month we will have either broken a bad habit or formed a good one.  Hopefully!  In the comments section type the habit you want to break or the one you want to form.  By putting it out there, you may very well be more committed to your goal.  Check in and let us know how you are doing or if you need support or encouragement to succeed!  I was a cheerleader and once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader.  I'll be here motivating and offering moral/morale support!  Ready?  Game On!!!

PS

If you are a Medicare patient, you may find this interesting...

Despite having heard the old saws, bad habits are hard to break and it is said that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but this week's news from Washington offers a silver lining to an otherwise dark cloud.  On August 28, 2010 the Associated Press published the news that Medicare is expanding coverage to help smokers quit. The article goes on to say: Older smokers who receive counseling are significantly more likely to quit than those who only get standard medical care. One study of elderly heart attack patients found that those who got counseling to help quit smoking were more likely to be alive five years later.  It's unclear why older people who try to quit have better luck than younger smokers.  Some experts think it's because older smokers are more motivated, perhaps from having seen a loved one die of cancer or heart disease, or by recognizing how the cigarette habit has left its mark in their own bodies, anything from wrinklier skin to shortness of breath.  The article is short and interesting, to read more, go to:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38891447/ns/health/