It's easier to stop bad habits when there’s a framework to see them.
In Charles Duhiggs’s book The Power of Habit, Duhigg shares the habit loop:
Cue
The cue is what starts the habit loop.
Behavior
The routine is what you do automatically when the program in your brain runs.
Reward
The reward is a positive sensation that your brain associates with the routine or with completing the routine.
Once you know what to look for, it’s easy to spot in everyday life.
Power Acronym 87 is a framework that can be used to dive deeper into the emotional “Cue” that can lead to negative routines.
I found H.A.L.T. through Alcoholics Anonymous / Al-Anon resources.
Ask yourself
Power Acronym 90: H.A.L.T.
Am I...
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired?
The acronym HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired), from Alcoholics Anonymous®, offers a useful tool to give clients to help them remember to address important needs early on:655
Don't get too Hungry can include an awareness—not only of avoiding being too hungry, but also focusing on healthy eating.
Don't get too Angry is a reminder to understand the causes of your anger and find healthy ways to feel and express that anger.
Don't get too Lonely is a reminder to connect with safe people, engage in social and recreational activities with others, and attend recovery support groups.
Don't get too Tired is a reminder to get enough sleep and rest when fatigued.
“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
-Victor Frankl
Power Acronym Daily
Daily acronyms to encourage, enrich, and empower.