Sound familiar? I’m sure you could share countless similar stories. Why go through the agony of writing it down? Because seeing it on paper demystifies the unwanted behavior. It’s easy to understand why you ate six slices of pizza when you take the day’s events into consideration.

If you can get a handle on the purpose your behavior was serving, you can identify alternatives that meet the real need. Seek the help of a counselor, minister, or therapist if you need help identifying or determining how best to meet these needs.

Tips:

The earlier you can break your behavior chain, the better! For example, if something stressful happens at work, don’t wait until you’re standing in front of the refrigerator to take action. Go for a walk that afternoon to give yourself a chance to mull it over. When you get home, do something that gives you a sense of control— wash your car, clean a drawer, or go for a run. Do whatever it takes to break the cycle!

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