Six Bad Habits You Can Repurpose For Good in 2018: Part Two

In Part One of this series I shared three bad habits, closely tied to our personality, that anyone can repurpose for good. If you want to change those unhealthy behaviors and are looking for the silver lining, read on! Here are the other three bad habits, and how you can leverage your hidden character strengths for good.

4. Withdrawing and isolating

You are imaginative, reflective, and calm. You are wonderfully introspective. When you isolate and shut down, however, you cut yourself off from the structure and direction you need to do your best work. You have the power to ask people to tell you what’s next. Instead of withdrawing, use your character strengths in these ways:

• Use your alone-time to invent something that will make a difference. You don’t have to build it, but you do have to find someone who will help you put wheels under it.
• Reflect on what the perfect environment is like for you. Imagine it becoming a reality. Ask someone to help you create it.
• Enlist others to help structure your world. Whether it’s an alarm on your phone, a post-it note, your best friend or boss, delegate the time-keeping and organizing to others so you can do what you do best.

5. Making self-defeating mistakes

You are compassionate, sensitive, and warm. Your ability to nurture others and create harmony is such a gift! When you focus too much on pleasing others and second-guess your own boundaries and capabilities, you are likely to make silly mistakes that only invite rejection from others. Repurpose your amazing gifts to take care of you as well as you take care of others:

• Schedule “me time” for nurturing yourself; a massage, time alone to read a good book, coffee with friends, or a long overdue date night with your partner.
• Invest in relationships and activities that leave you more energized and more confident about yourself.
• Spend some time with Brene Brown.

6. Manipulating and starting negative drama

You are adaptable, persuasive, and charming. Your ability to make things happen and kick up the excitement is unparalleled. When you don’t get enough excitement, though, you can become quite the emotional terrorist. Stealing the limelight, starting fires between people, and breaking the rules may get you a short-term buzz, but it will leave you alone and miserable in the long run. Instead, use your gifts for good and be a hero people look up to:

• Volunteer to manage a community campaign and blow everyone’s expectations out of the water.
• Be a hero at work by rallying the troops around the new initiative.
• See if you can make others look good without them knowing about it. Unsung heros are the most noble.

Which habit best fits you? Where do you see opportunity to make a positive difference? Will you share your answers on this post?

Want to learn more about the theory and science behind this post? Discover the Process Communication Model.

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