Five Tips to Quit Nail Biting

So, you want to stop biting your nails, but … how? Here’s five tips to get you started on stopping your nail-biting for good.

1. Be in it to win it.

To stop biting your nails, you need to want to stop biting your nails. You might be thinking, “pfft, duh,” … but here me out: it isn’t actually so obvious. Nail-biting is a subtle addiction. We even refer to ourselves as nail biters, as though that’s all we are.

You can start wanting this by changing your language. Instead of “I’m a nail biter,” try saying out LOUD, “I’m a person who bites their nails.” And instead of “I’ll stop biting my nails one day,” say out LOUD, “I won’t bite my nails today.”

The words you choose to use can build your reality as much as they can destroy it. Words build motivation by transforming emotion into intention and ideation into action. And saying it out LOUD likens your chances of success. 

2. Figure out your triggers.

Another subtle influence on our habits are triggers. Unfortunately, it can be as difficult to notice triggers. You have to become a private investigator. Study yourself. Soon enough, you will start to notice certain situations lead to you biting your nails. These are your triggers, and awareness of them, like language, is power.

3. Express, not suppress!

When you first stop biting your nails, you might feel like a child avoiding punishment. The trick to escaping this feeling is to stop suppressing and start expressing.

Here’s an example to explain what I mean. Try not to think of Rick Astley’s song ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’. What are you thinking about? Well, the very same thing happens when you tell yourself not to bite your nails.

So, what do you do instead? Acknowledge you want to bite your nails. Fantasize about chowing down on that all-you-can-eat buffet at your fingertips. Then instead, oil your nails with a fantastic cuticle oil! Express that energy in a positive habit that strengthens your nails. After a week of constant oiling instead of biting, your nails will quickly look amazing and will give you the encouragement you need to keep going.  

4. Set #goals and reward yourself when you achieve them

The thing that sucks most about life is it isn’t a fairy tale; life goes on after the happy ever after. Once you've read this article, you’re going to have to continue quitting nail-biting without me. I know—how can you go on without this witty and wise voice in your head?

Set goals. 

Smash those goals.

Then reward yourself with a new polish to rock on those gorgeous nails. I would suggest Babbs because it is so beautiful and sparkly that you can't help but admire your gorgeous nails you have been working so hard on. 

You don’t have to go big or go home, either. Your goal may be to last five minutes without biting, then get right back into it. Your goal may be to stop biting one finger at a time. Your goal may be to grow your nails into some mighty fine naked nail porn you found on Instagram. Whatever your goal is, it’s a fantastic goal, and I’m so proud of you for setting it.

5. Bet on your safety net.
   
   

Did you feel great when I said I was proud of you? I thought so. This reminds me of my final tip: get support from the Babbs community! Take regular progress photos of your nails and use #loudbabbs to get praise and encouragement. Show off your nail polish collection like a proud parent. Most of all, go easy on yourself if you relapse. Relapse does not undo all the progress you made before it happened. If anything, relapsing will help you far better than all the above tips combined. Sometimes you have to backtrack to move on.

As always, stay Loud Babbs- Natalie

Swatch by @bwidix