Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
Habits, bad or good, develop over time. In other words, doing something once or twice doesn’t constitute a life-change either way. If you’ve ever tried to end a “bad” one, you know that it can be challenging, to say the least. However, it’s important to remember that it’s not impossible! I find that focusing on bringing new, serving ways of doing things helps to diminish the desire to continue bad habits. For example, eating healthy and exercising might curb someone’s appetite for smoking cigarettes. I also believe the following 3 action steps are necessary to end bad habits for good.
End Bad Habits For Good #1: Be Honest with Yourself
The first imperative thing to do before you can actually start working on breaking a bad habit is to admit that it’s there. If you’re in denial about the existence of something that doesn’t serve your life, you will never change it. Knowing where you are in all areas of your life helps to set a course for a new place. It also lets you know when you make progress. It’s like when you want to lose weight, you would first weigh yourself to know the starting point. Changing something about your life always has this ground zero place that, ultimately, points you to your goal.
End Bad Habits For Good #2: Get Help If You Need It
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, some habits are too tough to tackle on your own. It’s important to understand that there is no shame in needing other people or professionals to move forward. Asking for help can be as simple as making sure your friends and loved ones hold you accountable. This is especially important if the habit is destructive or unhealthy. You can also reach out to places like The Recovery Village for help dealing with an addiction that has taken over your life. However, it’s important to remember that, no matter how much help and support you receive, your life is your responsibility.
End Bad Habits For Good #3: Give Yourself Permission to Make Mistakes
Perfection is usually not a good goal to set for yourself when trying to change. We are flawed and to put that kind of pressure on yourself is asking for trouble. I know it’s tempting to set an unfairly high standard when you want things to move quickly. But, I’ve found out the hard way that setbacks happen all the time. You can choose to beat yourself up over them or you can learn something from your weaknesses. Choosing the latter allows you to reset and move forward with insight and wisdom.
