Trading Bad Habits for Good Ones ...

Before you get rid of a bad habit, you have to identify what it is. Sadly, most people are in denial about what they consider bad habits. You’re going to need some soul searching to identify the bad habits. Start by writing a list of everything that you do. When you look at the list, what habits make you feel bad about yourself?

Maybe you love to drink a glass of wine before you go to sleep because it helps you calm down. If you do the same thing every day, it means that alcohol is not working. As the problems or negative thoughts pile up, you’ll find yourself drinking more alcohol. Before you know it, you’ll become addicted to it.

What makes you use alcohol as a coping mechanism? You have to figure out why you do it for you to let go. Maybe you watched your mum or dad do the same as you were growing up. What happened to them after using alcohol as a coping mechanism? Did they find help or did they drown in their sorrows?

If you want some assistance in stopping alcohol addiction, there are centers for women's mental health help and addiction recovery that you can visit. Book an appointment and go visit one of these facilities. You can ask a friend to go with you to the facility for moral support.

There’s always something that triggers a bad habit. For example, if you hold your phone for an extended period, you’ll be tempted to go through your social media channels. Another example of a trigger is whereby you get the urge to smoke every time you see someone else doing it.

When you know your triggers, you can avoid compromising situations. According to New York Times bestselling author James Clear, there are five components of a trigger: environment, time, a person’s emotional state, the presence of other people, and the action that comes after the trigger.

To make a change you need to review the trigger components. For example, let’s say that you’re trying to cut down on junk food in an effort to lose weight. The environment that promotes unhealthy eating is your home. The action happens when you get home after a long day. Your emotional state is usually tired, and you prefer to snack when you’re all alone. The reason why you grab a snack is that you want to watch your favorite TV show.

If you want to avoid this trigger of unhealthy eating, you need to review the environment. Do you have to come home after work? Why don’t you go to the gym or do yoga instead? It’s healthy and it will help you recover your lost energy. That way, you’ll be more motivated to cook when you get home.

Most bad habits develop because you don’t have anything better to do. When you replace the bad habit with a new activity, it becomes easier for you to let it go. Examples of other good habits that you can develop include reading, art, baking, or going for a walk.

Since building a new habit will take time, find a mentor or friend to help you through the process. A mentor will advise you on what to do while a friend will help you stay on track.

Use the above tips to help you get rid of bad habits. Take this time to know yourself and find out what really makes you happy. Don’t limit yourself, commit to change, and you could find a new hobby that takes you to greater heights.