Aradi Orozco

The original article was written for a Spanish-speaking client. All copyright belongs to my client.

How to Change Negative Habits and Transform Them into Positive Ones

How many times have you felt the need to change or eliminate something about yourself? How often have you thought about changing your behaviors?

Change can be frightening; modifying a habit may make you feel like you’re letting go of a part of yourself. We won’t fall into the cliché of saying “every change is positive,” but we will teach you to see things differently: we’re going to transform negative habits into positive ones. In this article, you’ll learn that creating healthy habits isn’t as hard as it seems.

What Are Habits?

Let’s first define what a habit is. According to the Real Academia Española, a habit is a “special way of acting or conducting oneself acquired through the repetition of similar acts or stemming from instinctive tendencies.” A quote often misattributed to Aristotle but actually from writer Will Durant says:

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Habits are what we repeatedly do—they are behaviors or ways of acting that we’ve acquired. Importantly, a habit is not a personality trait. A habit is a learned behavior that we perform repeatedly, often automatically, like brushing our teeth or biting our nails. With effort and dedication, we can modify or create new habits.

Personality traits, on the other hand, are stable characteristics that influence our temperament and typical ways of being, feeling, and acting. For instance, shyness is a personality trait characterized by feeling nervous or uncomfortable in social situations. A shy person can, if they try, attend social gatherings and even enjoy them. However, if this person rejects every invitation and stays home, it’s no longer just a personality trait but also a habitual behavior. See the difference?

Positive vs. Negative Habits

Now that we understand what habits are, let’s explore the difference between positive and negative ones. To avoid diving into philosophical or moral discussions, we’ll categorize them as “good” or “bad” based solely on their outcomes.

A positive habit promotes health, improves work performance, fosters healthy relationships, and so on. Negative habits, on the other hand, harm health, damage relationships, etc.

• Example 1: Smoking harms your lungs and health overall—it’s a negative habit.

• Example 2: Drinking water instead of soda keeps you hydrated—it’s a positive habit.

Let’s consider a more complex example:

Imagine that every day, you talk to your partner about problems at work. You complain about a coworker who finishes the coffee but never cleans the pot, expressing how tiring it is and how inconsiderate people can be. All you want is for the day to end so you can sleep.

Now imagine the following: Every day, you discuss your workday with your partner, mentioning your coworker and deciding to politely ask them tomorrow to clean the coffee pot. Your partner supports this idea and asks how it goes. Afterward, you talk about your partner’s day, share mutual frustrations, and then chat about something pleasant, like a movie or the weather.

Do you notice the key difference? In both examples, you vent, but in one, you focus on negativity, while in the other, you propose a solution and engage in a constructive conversation.

Habits Work for or Against You

Habits are decisions, conscious or unconscious, that accumulate over time.

“We cannot separate mental hygiene habits from physical ones; health is integral, and one depends on the other.”

The motivation to improve your habits is already within you. Now, it’s time to find the discipline to make habits work in your favor.

• Don’t just think about eliminating something; focus on replacing it.

• For example, instead of focusing solely on venting about work frustrations, consider turning the conversation into an opportunity for problem-solving and connection.

This mindset makes change less intimidating, don’t you think?

Start Transforming Negative into Positive

When implementing habits, thinking solely about restrictions increases the likelihood of failure. Instead, focus on transforming the first domino—this makes it more likely you’ll adapt and create positive routines.

Find the Trigger

For example, if you spend hours on social media envying luxurious lifestyles, you’ll likely wake up tired and dissatisfied. This habit works against you.

1. Replace negative thoughts with realistic ones. Instead of “I’m too lazy to exercise,” consider, “I didn’t sleep well, and that’s why I lack energy.”

2. Adjust your social media habits. Limit your time on platforms and follow accounts that inspire positive growth—whether in health, culture, or personal development.

Transform Step by Step

Let’s turn a harmful scrolling habit into something positive:

• Start following health-focused influencers.

• Gradually, you’ll sleep better and feel motivated to make positive changes, like exploring new hobbies or healthy recipes.

Find Satisfaction

James Clear’s book Atomic Habits highlights the importance of making habits satisfying. If the gym isn’t enjoyable for you, find other forms of exercise that are. Focus on activities that align with your interests and long-term goals.

By focusing on what brings you joy and satisfaction, you’ll naturally build habits that enhance your overall well-being.

If you want to learn more about habits, download our app…

Sources:

• Real Academia Española. Diccionario esencial de la lengua española. 2006. Hábito. https://www.rae.es/desen/h%C3%A1bito#
• Will Durant Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Consultado 16 de septiembre 2024,de BrainyQuote.com Web site: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/will_durant_145967
• Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits: tiny changes, remarkable results : an easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones. New York, New York, Avery, impresión de Penguin Random House.