Habits are the automated routines that dictate our daily lives, allowing the brain to save valuable processing power. At the core of every habit is a neurological loop consisting of three distinct steps. First, there is a cue, a trigger that tells your brain to go into automatic mode. (11)_________. Finally, there is the reward, which helps your brain figure out if this particular loop is worth remembering for the future. Over time, this loop becomes more and more automatic, meaning that (12)_________. This is why someone (13)_________ might find themselves reaching for a pastry at 3 PM without even consciously deciding to do so. The brain has simply linked the afternoon slump to the joy of sugar. Breaking these deeply ingrained loops is notoriously difficult. (14)_________, we cannot actually erase an old habit, but can only replace it with a new behavior. By keeping the same cue and the same reward, but inserting a different routine, a healthier habit can emerge. (15)_________.
(Adapted from The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg)