Nail biting habit is hard to break

A few months ago, I read an article in “Real Simple” about the bad habits that people have. Things like fidgeting, slouching, constantly running late and gossiping made the list. This week, I’m touching on some of my bad habits and what I’m doing/not doing to try and fix them as I Eliminate the Unnecessary habits.

I’m a nervous person by nature and since I was little, one of my nervous habits has been biting my nails. It’s disgusting, I know. I’ve tried several things to stop it, but honestly, I don’t like my nails long and I need to keep them short. While I could just keep them cut short, it also helps calm my nerves sometimes. And most of the time, that’s more important that the status of my nails.

However, biting my nails is painful. I always have hang nails and ultra-short nails that hurt. It’s also something that I have, apparently, past on to my children. They both bite their nails. I feel bad that they have picked up this nasty habit. They are always complaining about painful hang-nails and “boo-boos” where they have biten themselves in an attempt to get little bit of nail down to the nub.

Ouch.

My husband uses it as his guide to my stress. If my nails are short and my thumbs are bleeding, I’m probably stressed. If he gets into my car and there are nails all over the floor, he knows I’m stressed. Thankfully, he just jokes about it, but doesn’t push me to stop, because I doubt I ever well.

I will however, attempt to keep my nails cut short, clean and sometimes painted, just to make them look better and maybe I’ll take more responsibility for how they look and do a better job with general maintenance-a.k.a not ripping my nails off with my teeth. But it’s not one of those habits that I feel I need to completely break.

Do you have any habits you don’t want to break for one reason or another?