Breaking the Nail Biting Habit

I have a confession to make. It’s embarrassing. It’s gross. It’s ridiculous.

I’m a nail biter. I’m talking like big time nail biter. As in, I’ve been nail biting my nails down to the point where it actually hurts to move my hands at night.

I’ve been biting my nails pretty much all 32 years of my life. Do you know what’s really ironic? I’m a germaphobe. So, the result? I’m always washing my hands which results in hands that are dry with no nails on my fingertips. Pretty sight to see, if I do say so myself. Yuck.

From getting sick to feeling discomfort, I’ve read all of the warnings. And yes, I continued to bite my nails. I figured with all of the hand washing, I was at least biting a clean surface. Ridiculous, I know.

I’ve always been so embarrassed by my fingernails. When friends go get manis, I never join. When people asked to see my ring when I got engaged, I tried to hide my fingertips. I’ve never been able to open a can, peel off a sticker … the list goes on and on.

I would paint No Bite on my nails, splash hot sauce on my fingertips, wear gloves, paint my nails with nail polish … nothing seemed to work.

And then I got pregnant. During my pregnancy, I was super in tune with everything that I put into my body. From organic fruits and veggies to meats to beverages, I set up a strict diet for myself because I only wanted what was best for my child and my pregnant body. Since I was watching my intake, I magically stopped biting my nails. In the photos of me holding my son after he was born, I can literally see the whites on my fingernails.

What happened after he was born? Adios, fingernails. *chomp chomp chomp*

And then, magically, once again, a few weeks ago I decided to stop biting my nails. I was 32 years old for crying out loud. For 32 years I’ve been biting. For 32 years, I’ve never had nails. For 32 years, I’ve been embarrassed. A few weeks ago, I figured it was about time that I did something about it.

And now, as I type, I can’t help but notice that I can see the whites on every fingernail. Though they are weak, my new nails are giving me the strength I need to embrace my willpower to avoid the chomp chomp chomp.

When my parents were in town this past weekend for a visit, I couldn’t help but dangle my fingers in front of them to show off my new nails. My Mom was shocked but then quickly mentioned how dry my hands look. So, I figure that if I bite my nails less, then I’ll wash my hands less (I have a serious problem with washing my hands way too much … just ask my family and friends), then I’ll have smoother hands, and then I’ll use less paper towel (and yes, I have a serious problem with paper towel usage).

So, I’m a few weeks into this whole “no biting nails” debacle and I can’t help but look forward to getting a mani. Now, what is the “in” finger nail color since I’ve never considered such a thing?

How did you break the nail biting habit?

photo source