b'acceptance for quittingincluding health There are many techniques, beyond self-and nancial benets to eschew smokingcontrol that lead to successfully modifyingbut success seems to require awareness of habits. One of the most touching examplesthe need to change the habit, understanding of recognizing a trigger and changing a habitthe task at hand (including triggers), and occurred for me when a young womanreplacing the behavior constructively. conded that nail biting was a lifelong habit.Recognizing triggers She chewed her fingernails to the quickI like to think of triggers as any activity, whenever she felt stress and her hands lookeditem, or situation that makes you want to do like she was often stressed. Her boyfriendsomething.was expected to propose and instead of joyshe was dreading a trip to the jewelers for a ring.If you feel hungry, that triggers you to eat She noticed my nurse-nails and I shared myand feeling satised is your reward. With a technique with her. She agreed to a routinehabit, identifying the reward should tell us if that involved simple hand-care and lots ofwe want to repeat the behavior. With a bad lotion. Each week we added a step and herhabit the reward may defy why wed do it focus became tending the nails she used to chew.again, knowing the outcome is likely to be She wanted to break a habit, recognized anxietyless than desired or even disastrous.as the trigger, effected a routine, and wasA patient conded to me she had a hard rewarded with hands ready to sport a diamond.time with her diet and was gaining weight. Habits seem to be rather like reexes; theyWhen she felt sad or angry shed bake and x just happen. When they no longer work forelaborate desserts, eat them, and then felt us, we can change them by becoming moremiserable and kept gaining weight. With the intentional, and enlisting help and supporthelp of a therapist, her underlying depression for the journey. The pandemic has aordedwas addressed and treated. She continued to us enforced time for change and re-evaluation.enjoy baking by creating lower calorie items I recently heard of a doctor who started carryingthat were more nutritional and then gifting index cards in his pocket. On one side he wroteher family and friends with the excess so she positive events of the day. On the back hedno longer had to be tempted by the delicious jot down something negative he became awaretriggers on the kitchen counter. She told me that day. At bedtime he reected with gratitudeshe is often satised with an apple for her on the many positives hed noted and taggedtreatandherneighborsloveherhealthy the item hed prefer to omit if it was in hiscookies. power and the ways he might make that happen.Understanding triggers can really aect As we clear the cluttered corners of our lives,our resolution to alter obsolete habits. Another I intend to follow his example and invite youpeer shared she had a ashback to losses to join me.shed experienced and was sad, but mentioned Have Your Saythat mindfulness training helped her zero-in If you have tips and suggestions for makingon the feelings and allowed her to pay attention life easier with MS, wed love to hear them!to circumstances that in the past would have Email us at: editor@msfocus.org.resulted in self-harming behavior. 25 msfocusmagazine.org'