Trying to ditch 2 habits at once...

OK....  quite obvious... trying to ditch my TV habit....  not that I watch lots of it... especially not in the summer... but I'd like to end up not watching it at all...

Now, I've come to realise one thing about me with all the changes I made in my life over the past years...I need to EASE into things.... I can't RUSH or FORCE them... that doesn't work with me... althus I realise that it works perfectly well with others....

For example, before I was vegetarian, I decreased my consumption of red meat... then cut it off...  then decreased my consumption of poultry and fish and shell fish and then stopped...  The whole process may have taken a year... same goes for becoming vegan....  I stopped milk... then yogurt...  eventually eggs.... and when I made the "big" jump into veganism, I only had to stop having cheese... and all the bake goods that include animal products...  This may have taken me also about a year or so... When we decided to downsized, we went from a medium house to a big apartment... then to smaller, smaller and even smaller.... each time letting go of stuff and square footage...  When I decided to increase my home yoga/meditation practice, I started by doing it 3 mornings a week for about 15 minutes...  then by itself in about 2 years, it went to every week day morning and 45 minutes!  And I have to stop myself to go to work or I could continue...  Last but not least, when we decided to go car less, we had gotten into the habit of walking or taking our bicycles more before hand....  and sometimes the public transportation to places...  we cut one car... and then a few years after the other... 

See what I mean???  I can't make drastic changes... every time I try... I set myself up for failure.... and because I know, now, I my mind works, I use it to my own advantage...  I know that if I start doing something less or more... I 'll want less or more...  and even less or even more...  less meat... less animal product...  to the point where I couldn't even stand it....  more yoga... more meditation to the point where I need to stop myself (or get up even earlier...  like 4h30 am)...

Therefore for having tried to stop watching television several time and failed...  I know it's because I decided overnight to stop watching it... and it's just there.. I can see it.... so I end up opening it....  Now I say I failed.... but I have improve...  in the sense that I no longer open the TV every morning...  I use to do it all the time... first thing I would do... to watch the news, weather... or any other stuff...  I stopped that years ago.... and replaced it with yoga/meditation.... good news is my son stopped it too!!!   I also stopped opening it when I get back from work...  I stopped that several months ago....  so all in all I am watching less and less....  now my weaknesses are after supper...  between 7pm and 10pm when I go to bed.... I know compared to many it is not much... but still to much for me...  so slowly, I am trying to not be in the living room before 8pm... and at 9pm when my husband goes to work and my son to his room, I close it every other day... and read or meditate....  breathe or do stretches...    My goal is to eventually have it completely close as of 9pm...  and not open before 8pm...  that would be acceptable to me.... and I know that by doing that, I'll loose interest in it all together...  and just stop... most days...  unless I feel like watching a movie with my boys!

Some may say, or think... "why not just throw it out the window?"
Well mostly because I have a 12 years old son... who loves to watch some TV... now he's only allowed 2h per day... not too much... and video games are only 2h per day too but only on week ends (not at all during the week)...and we can all live with that rule.... do I wish he would not play video games?  of course!  do I wish he  would not watch TV?  even more so...  but realistically speaking, he's 12... an he needs to relate to his friends....  He already has a not-home-owner, car less, environmentalist, minimalist, vegan, yogi, freak mom...  I mean give the boy a chance!  We do not want him to feel completely alienated!!! 

I'd rather explain to him that it's not very good for him to watch too much TV, play too many video games....  I'd rather show him the example... give him other stuff to do that he likes too...options...  It has work with food... He makes better food choice...  OK he's not 100% vegetarian yet but he eats less and less meat by choice... not because he's forced too (althus he knows he's not allowed to have it at home)... I'd rather have him make his own decisions, be responsible and assume them than pretends he's vegetarian and behind my back eat it...  He makes better snacks decisions...  and eats more fruits and veggies... this is a good start... and he does eat most of the vegan food I make... and usually loves it...  so I'll do the same with TV...  teach him... instead of force him...

Will I ever be able to get rid of my TV completely?  Of course...  when?  Not sure...  Do I have to have a set date?  NO!  When ever I'll be ready.... and when ever the timing will be right for all of us... 

Now, the other habit I am talking about ( trying to ditch 2 habits at once) goes hand in hand with watching TV... who can guess???
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yes!  junk food....  I do eat pretty well... 97% of the time.... but when I feel like having chips of candies.... it's always because I am in front of that TV... so if I stop the TV, forcefully, I will stop having chips or candies...  which I have decrease considerably anyway because they're not that easy to find vegan...  ;-)

What about you guys??? How do you quit a bad habit or form a new good one???  Do you EASE into it or go RIGHT ON?  Which habit have you let go off, or put in place recently?  Which habit do you wish to stop or start?

I am always happy to hear from you... do not hesitate to contact me!!!

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love and peace,
nath
xox
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