Habits are repeated forms of behaviour, so if your man is holding on to some bad habits, they are likely to take place more than you’d like. Breaking a bad habit is easy as long as the person wants to, but he may not be willing to give up smoking, gambling or biting his nails. If you absolutely cannot put up with his procrastination or nose picking here are some ways to put an end to these pesky pet peeves.
Certain habits are worse than others and can bring a relationship to an end. Drinking, gambling or compulsive shopping are the type of behaviours that sit at the root of many arguments between couples. If you are aware that your partner is repeating these behaviours, let him know how you feel about his addiction. If he is aware that you do not approve of his behaviour there is a chance that he will change for you, but only if you are consistent in letting him know it bothers you. Ignoring his habit is only enabling him to continue it.
The worst way to break a bad habit is to punish your partner. Withholding intimacy or giving him the cold shoulder will make him increase his habit despite you, as a defence mechanism. Instead, when he decides to save his money, not go to the casino or stay away from the pub for a night, show him your appreciation by rewarding him with something that he loves “ you in sexy lingerie, concert tickets or a weekend getaway. Keep up the rewards and a new habit will be formed, a good habit.
For those habits he absolutely will not give up that you feel are not relationship red flags, try a compromise. Setting ground rules, like asking him to not to smoke when you are with him or to try a going a day without biting his nails. These little challenges for him could potentially lead him to breaking the habit all together. Your support and encouragement is everything he needs to create better behaviours and lose the bad ones.
Not everyone is perfect and we all have our own bad habits, whether it is twirling our hair or cracking our knuckles. But, bad habits like drug addiction or promiscuity are much harder to tackle and may require extra help from a therapist or doctor. If you feel as though your partner’s behaviour is affecting their health and wellbeing, make sure you speak to a professional and find them the help that they need to successfully battle these bad habits.
