How do you keep yourself from biting your nails?

For me it's a combo of willpower and keeping busy - I pick at my nails when I'm nervous or bored so I try not to be bored! If I'm nervous I catch myself in the act and have instead developed the habit of running my fingers over my nails, which is a similar motion (I guess picking at my nails became a soothing action for me over the years) but doesn't hurt the nail. It took a lot of awareness though. I'd be sitting there picking at a snag in my nail, and suddenly realize what I was doing and then have to leave it alone... all snaggy... or go hunt down my nail clippers and file!

The mental anguish of having a fingernail you can't nibble smooth is awful, but I've never had any luck with nail polish or bad tastes. It all came down to wanting to make the change badly enough, and then being aware enough to catch myself and chastise myself every time I did it. I also started carrying nail clippers and a file in my purse. No excuse not to use them if they're handy!

I still pick at my nails every so often but now it's habit to get the clippers instead. My nails are much happier for it, and so am I!

Oh, and my nail polish chips too... I usually do one cover-up coat and then give up and remove it. I've never understood how some women manage to keep their color for a week or more without chipping! There must be some secret to it!

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