Our General Strategy for Change: A) Be inspired! B) "Just Do it" using willpower.
The Problem: Inspiration has a short 'shelf life'. Willpower and motivation fluctuates.
The Problem: Inspiration has a short 'shelf life'. Willpower and motivation fluctuates.
Mishlei: 4:(26) Survey the course you take, And all your ways will prosper.
The Vilna Gaon's taught based on a Passuk in Mishlei 4:26
"Change your habits, and all of your ways will be set."
The Vilna Gaon's taught based on a Passuk in Mishlei 4:26
"Change your habits, and all of your ways will be set."
John Dryden, 17th Century British Poet
"First we make our habits, and then our habits make us."
"First we make our habits, and then our habits make us."
Simcha Seminar's Strategy for long lasting change:
Replace 'bad habits' with 'good habits' and generate long lasting Simcha!
How? A: Make a plan for new habits, B: Develop the habits consistently throughout our course C: Generate Long Lasting Simcha Practices for your life!
Replace 'bad habits' with 'good habits' and generate long lasting Simcha!
How? A: Make a plan for new habits, B: Develop the habits consistently throughout our course C: Generate Long Lasting Simcha Practices for your life!
Part 2: Why focus on habits?
Answer 1: Much of our lives are run on auto-pilot by our habits!
Why? Because Habits help our brains not work as hard. And so habits tend to stick.
Why? Because Habits help our brains not work as hard. And so habits tend to stick.
Answer 2: Step 1: 1st we learn how to Daven, next we can raven with kavannah.
ספר החינוך, מצווה טז: "אחרי הפעולות נמשכים הלבבות".
Answer 3: The Domino effect. Good habits tend to lead to new good habits and bad habits tend to lead to more bad habits. Tv food laziness more food, more TV...
משנה, מסכת אבות – פרק ד, משנה ב:
”הֱוֵה רָץ לְמִצְוָה קַלָּה כַּחֲמוּרָה וּבוֹרֵחַ מִן הָעֲבֵרָה, שֶׁמִּצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת מִצְוָה, וַעֲבֵרָה גּוֹרֶרֶת עֲבֵרָה“.
”הֱוֵה רָץ לְמִצְוָה קַלָּה כַּחֲמוּרָה וּבוֹרֵחַ מִן הָעֲבֵרָה, שֶׁמִּצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת מִצְוָה, וַעֲבֵרָה גּוֹרֶרֶת עֲבֵרָה“.
Habits can be changed! For example: Our Society has changed our habits:
A: Seat Belts: 1984 14 percent of US drivers were sear belts.
B: Smoking: 1965 48% smoked, today only 1 in 5.
A: Seat Belts: 1984 14 percent of US drivers were sear belts.
B: Smoking: 1965 48% smoked, today only 1 in 5.
R' Kalman examples of habit changes:
Kaballat Shabbat
GPS Model of prayer
Meditative Brachot
Daily Running
Cutting down on Sugarful drinks
Examples of Bad Habits he is still working on!
Not coming late to tours
Not forgetting his folders all over the place!
Kaballat Shabbat
GPS Model of prayer
Meditative Brachot
Daily Running
Cutting down on Sugarful drinks
Examples of Bad Habits he is still working on!
Not coming late to tours
Not forgetting his folders all over the place!
Tips to make our new good habits stick
Tip #1:To choose a new habit: Ask yourself where would I like to be?
Who would I like to be? And is this realistic? Start small and build momentum.
Need the long term goals and the short term plan.
Try to focus on decisive moments.
Tip #2: Be very specific about the action you will be taking to implement the new habit.
Tip #3: Bj Fogg's After....then: Anchor your new habit to an old one.
After breakfast I will journal for 1 page.
Tip #4: The Law of Least Effort: To stick a new habit: Make your new habit easy: Ideally 2 Minutes or less! Peter Bergman: "Don't write a book, write a page."
Don't break the streak: But if you do, get up quick!
Who would I like to be? And is this realistic? Start small and build momentum.
Need the long term goals and the short term plan.
Try to focus on decisive moments.
Tip #2: Be very specific about the action you will be taking to implement the new habit.
Tip #3: Bj Fogg's After....then: Anchor your new habit to an old one.
After breakfast I will journal for 1 page.
Tip #4: The Law of Least Effort: To stick a new habit: Make your new habit easy: Ideally 2 Minutes or less! Peter Bergman: "Don't write a book, write a page."
Don't break the streak: But if you do, get up quick!
מסכת נגעים: 'אוֹי לָרָשָׁע אוֹי לִשְׁכֵנוֹ.'
Tip #5: Change your environment!Make your new habit Very Visible. Put your gym shoes and shorts next to your bed. Put your sefer on your makom.
Tip #6: To get rid of a bad habit...make it invisible!
For example: Put the phone away from your eye when you are working/learning.
If you want to cut down on sugar: Don't keep junk food in your house.
Just add water and people will drink.
Tip #7: Make an accountability partner.
Tip #8: Reward yourself for accomplishing your new habit. Make your reward visible.
Try not break the streak! And if you do, get up quick!
For example: Put the phone away from your eye when you are working/learning.
If you want to cut down on sugar: Don't keep junk food in your house.
Just add water and people will drink.
Tip #7: Make an accountability partner.
Tip #8: Reward yourself for accomplishing your new habit. Make your reward visible.
Try not break the streak! And if you do, get up quick!
!Tip#9: Don't forget to daven
ברכות השחר
יהי רצון מלפניך... שתרגילנו בתורתיך ודבקינו במצוותיך.
ברכות השחר
יהי רצון מלפניך... שתרגילנו בתורתיך ודבקינו במצוותיך.
New Habit:
1: What new habit would you like to acquire/cut out?
2: Why would you like to acquire this new habit?
3: When exactly will you be doing this new habit, Ideally: After....Then I will...
specific behavior:
Remember: Less is often more...
Ideas of New Habits to Form:
Say Kriat Shema/Hamapil
Say Modeh Ani
Daaven Shacharit
Thank the people who bring you food.
Call your parents every day.
Journal every day.
Learn a new sefer every day.
Say Asher Yatzar.
Go for a ten minute walk.
Some ideas of habits to cut out:
Come to class late.
Day dream through daavning
Respond with Anger
Net Flick Binge
Complaining about dinner
1: What new habit would you like to acquire/cut out?
2: Why would you like to acquire this new habit?
3: When exactly will you be doing this new habit, Ideally: After....Then I will...
specific behavior:
Remember: Less is often more...
Ideas of New Habits to Form:
Say Kriat Shema/Hamapil
Say Modeh Ani
Daaven Shacharit
Thank the people who bring you food.
Call your parents every day.
Journal every day.
Learn a new sefer every day.
Say Asher Yatzar.
Go for a ten minute walk.
Some ideas of habits to cut out:
Come to class late.
Day dream through daavning
Respond with Anger
Net Flick Binge
Complaining about dinner