Breaking Bad Habits
Focus
About This Practice
Habits emerge from repeated behaviors that become wired into the brain’s routine pathways. Initially, you make conscious choices, but over time, those actions run on autopilot. This is why you may find yourself checking your phone compulsively or snacking mindlessly—your brain is simply following a familiar loop, triggered by boredom, stress, or another cue.
Key Insight: By noticing a habit in the moment and pausing before acting, you create a space to choose a different response. That small break is where change begins.
How to Use the Focus Frame
Catch the Compulsion: The moment you feel a habitual urge (e.g., scrolling social media without thinking), pick up the Focus Frame.
Shake & Observe: Let the swirling glitter represent your autopilot urge—intense and swirling. Watch until the glitter settles, giving yourself a mindful pause.
Ask, “Is This What I Really Want?” If yes, proceed with intention. If no, choose an alternative that serves you better (like taking a walk or starting a task you’ve been putting off).
The Science Behind It
Habit Loops: Each habit has a cue, a routine, and a reward. By inserting a pause after the cue, you interrupt the loop (Duhigg, 2012).
Neural Rewiring: Replacing unwanted habits with intentional actions reshapes brain pathways, weakening the old loop and reinforcing new ones (Graybiel, 2008).
Mindful Choice: Watching the glitter while your urge settles shifts the brain from impulse to reflection (Tang, Hölzel, & Posner, 2015).
Extended Practice
Identify Common Cues: Recognize what triggers the habit (boredom, stress, time of day) and plan to use the Frame when those cues appear.
Pick an Alternative: Choose a healthier fallback action (e.g., drink water, stretch, or take a 30-second mindful break).
Reward the Shift: Reinforce new behavior with a small positive cue—a smile, break, or quick note of progress.
Everyday Applications
Digital Habits: If you reach for your phone reflexively, pause with the Frame instead. Let the glitter settle, then decide intentionally.
Eating Habits: Before snacking, shake the Frame and ask, “Am I actually hungry or just stressed?”
Spending Habits: When tempted to shop impulsively, take a moment with the Frame and assess your real need.
Challenges
"I Don’t Always Notice the Cue": Keep the Frame visible or set reminders. Awareness builds with time.
"My Habit Is Really Strong": Start small. Even one interruption helps weaken the habit loop.
"I Relapse Back Into the Habit": Relapse is data. Ask what triggered it, how you felt, and what you might try next time.
Reflection Prompts
Which triggers consistently lead to the autopilot habit?
How often did I remember to ask, “Is this really what I want?”
Which replacements worked best for redirecting the habit loop?
Am I noticing any decrease in how often or how strongly the unwanted habit appears?
Resources
Books:
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Apps:
Fabulous – Build routines and break unhelpful patterns with reminders and challenges.
Habitify – A habit tracker that visualizes progress.
Research Articles:
Graybiel, A. M. (2008). Habits, rituals, and the evaluative brain. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 31, 359–387.
Tang, Y. Y., Hölzel, B. K., & Posner, M. I. (2015). The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 16(4), 213–225.
Final Takeaway
Habits gain power when they operate on autopilot. By shaking the Focus Frame when a craving or compulsion hits, you interrupt the loop and reclaim your ability to choose. Over time, consistently replacing an unwanted habit with a mindful pause—and a more helpful alternative—rewires your brain, supporting a more intentional, values-aligned life.