Breaking Free From Bad Habits Isn’t Easy…But It Can Be Done!

We can all be guilty of one bad habit or another. We sit in front of the tv for more hours than we exercise.We eat foods that we know are bad for us.We might even struggle with unhealthy vices, such as smoking, and drinking excessively. These are just some of the bad habits we may need to break, but it’s easier said than done. You will know this yourself if you have ever tried to give something up, but struggled to do so in the process. Once our brain becomes accustomed to them, it’s difficult to release the grip that our habits have on us. But it CAN be DONE! 

The First Step Is Breaking Free From Bad Habits

Don’t say you will give up tomorrow, or at the start of the new year. If you know something is bad for you, make that conscious decision to stop… IMMEDIATELY! 

Turn the television off. Get out of the sweet aisle at your local supermarket. Don’t go to those places where you are likely to be tempted. Make the decision to stop, and then concentrate on the following.

The Next Step Is To Replace The Bad Habits You Have

You need to rewire your brain to think about something, anything else, other than the bad habit you have become accustomed to. If you are prone to sitting on the sofa at a certain time of the day, plan to do something different.

Walk the dog, go for a bike ride, sign up to your local gym. Take those steps to replace your lethargy. If smoking is an issue for you, find a replacement. Ecigs are the big thing right now, so head over to https://www.ecigwizard.com to find your alternative.

If eating unhealthily is your biggest issue, then fill your cupboards with healthy foods, instead of sugary items and process junk. Start creating new habits to replace your old, bad habits, and consider the next point.

Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat

Get the picture? When you have started creating new, healthier habits, be consistent. Don’t have the occasional cigarette. Don’t give yourself a ‘treat day’ just yet, with chocolate and a takeaway.

When you are going through the process of rewiring your brain into new habits, you need to be consistent. You are learning new habits, and it will take time to become accustomed to them.

If you fall back into those older, more comfortable habits at too early a stage, even if you tell yourself “it’s a one-off,” you might fall back into these old ways again. As the saying goes, ‘old habits die hard.’

Give Yourself a Purpose

Ask yourself why are you giving up your bad habits? Give yourself a purpose, and remind yourself why you are doing what you are doing.

If you were feeling the ill-effects of bad habits on your health, let this be the incentive to pursue a better lifestyle.

If you have children, you might want to think about how your bad habits affect them, taking a cue from my previous article Bad Habits All Parents Need To Break.  If you want a better future for yourself, keep this in perspective as you go through the process of giving up your old habits.

Know why you are doing what you are doing, and when you are tempted to return to old habits, remember your reason behind giving them up in the first place. Finally..  

Seek Help

If you are struggling to give up on your own, seek the help of others. It might be a doctor, counsellor, or a self-help group. You might be able to form a support group from people within your friends and family.

If you are serious about giving something up, then find the people who can help you, and as well as following the other steps in this article. Benefit from the extra support available to you as you transition from old ways into new ways.

Breaking free from bad habits isn’t easy, but through consistency, willpower, and support systems, it can be done!

Let me know what you think, and if you have any further tips, please share your advice with fellow readers by leaving a comment in the box below. 

Disclaimer: *This is a collaborative post