The Gentle Power of Accepting Your Habits (Even the 'Bad' Ones)

We all have habits, some that nourish us, and some we wish we could shake.

There was a stretch of time where I found myself mindlessly scrolling through social media every morning. I’d wake up, pick up my phone, and lose twenty minutes before I even got out of bed. I told myself, “Stop it. No more scrolling.” But the more I resisted, the harder it became.

The more I told myself, “Don’t use your phone,” the stronger the urge got.
It’s like when someone says, “Don’t think about sleeping,” suddenly, you're hyper-aware that you're wide awake.

The harder I tried to stop, the more I fell back into the pattern. And then came the frustration. The guilt. The feeling that I had failed… again.

But here's the shift:
Instead of trying to force the habit to stop, I started practicing acceptance.
I stopped labeling it as “bad.”
I stopped judging myself for it.
I simply noticed: “Oh, here I am, scrolling again.”

It might sound small, but that gentle acknowledgment took away the shame.
And without the shame, I could choose what I wanted to do next, rather than spiral into frustration.

Because here’s the truth: habits don’t change when we criticize ourselves. They shift when we become aware, and kind.

Instead of setting up rules like “No phone in bed”, I set intentions:

• I want to start my morning with peace.
  
• I want to feel grounded before the noise.
  
• I want my first thoughts of the day to be mine, not the world’s.
  

And from there, I built a new habit, not by force, but by choice.
Now, I leave my phone across the room and start the day with gratitude. Even one deep breath before I move. That’s it.

But if I slip? That’s okay.
Because habits aren’t about perfection.
They’re about awareness, compassion, and showing up again… with love.