My List of Bad Habits and How to Get Rid of Them
Dear Alice,
For today I would like to share with you my list of bad habits and the main strategies that I try adopt so as to get rid of these bad habits. I am sure that you are familiar with the concept: as I see it no one is perfect, and I also think that no one should try to be. I think it is those imperfections that make us unique as persons and as individuals. So do embrace your imperfections or flows. But still among those imperfections sometimes are also hiding some bad habits, bad habits that one should try to quit gradually and with a lot of patience.
So for today I would like to share with you my list of bad habits and I would like to talk to you about the main strategies I try to apply or to follow so as to get rid of these bad habits:
- Bad Habit: Eating too much chips from time to time.
- Why it is not good? I am sure you are more than aware of all the bad implications that come from eating too much chips or too much junk food. It is unhealthy short-term and long-term, and it therefore also contributes to increased stress levels. Well in my case, I must say that I make abuse of this bad habit only from time to time, every 3 or 4 weeks for instance when I am enjoying a movie either a home or at the cinema. Still I do want to get rid of it, since long term it is not healthy and I do believe that there are great alternatives out there that I can apply and that could really help me.
- How to try to get rid of it? I try to prepare some healthy snacks such as carrots or celery with avocados home made dips or with different dips bought in the supermarkets. I also buy dried fruits such as apricots for instance. And I use them as alternative healthy snacks. They are really delicious: do try them, and you will not regret it. Another alternative is popcorn. Even though some people still say it that popcorn is not the healthiest of snacks, I do believe it is better than chips. So find your own alternative healthy snacks, prepare them before hand and when your desire of chips arises, use these healthy and delicious alternative snacks!
- Bad Habit: Skipping breakfast from time to time.
- Why it is not good? It is unhealthy for you and for your body, it has bad influences on your weight and energy levels, and especially on your metabolism. Breakfast is like the fuel that your body needs to recharge itself every day. In my case, I used to skip breakfast quite often when I was younger, since I was in a hurry to get to the university or to work. Still in the last years this bad habit almost disappeared from my daily routine. Still every now and then when I am alone at home, it can happen that I skip breakfast, I am either not hungry or I am thinking that I am in a rush. But of course it is a very very bad thinking and I know it. I try to work on it.
- How to try to get rid of it? Even if I feel I am not hungry or in a hurry, whenever I have the tendency to not have breakfast for one reason or another, I do try to pack something with me in my bag for later on. In almost all cases, a couple of hours later in the office I get really hungry and then I can happily enjoy my delayed breakfast.
- Bad Habit: Trying to please everyone.
- Why it is not good? It increases the stress levels, it makes you analyze certain situations more than it is needed, and it adds an extra pressure on your daily life and your daily routine.
- How to try to get rid of it? I do think that it is okay to not please everyone. Not everyone has to be pleased and happy with your behavior and with your decisions and your choices. So if you have the feeling that someone seems to be unhappy with your behavior and some decisions you made or you took, just keep the distance from these situations. And do always think about it: you do not have to please everyone and not everyone has to agree with your actions. Of course this does not imply that you would have to be rude or aggressive, but just be yourself and do not feel that you have to give any explanations for it.
- Bad Habit: Behavior that leaves me stressed, worried or angry from time to time.
- Why it is not good? This one is a though one and I must say that it is the one bad habit that I am still struggling with. If with the other bad habits I kind of began to win the battle, I think that this one is still a bit further away. But I am optimistic. Why is it dangerous I think it is quite clear: it affects you as a person and mostly your daily life and your routine, and of course your relationships with your family and your friends.
- How to try to get rid of it? The clear answer to this one is exercising, sport, enjoying nature, taking holidays as often as you can. And of course yoga and meditation. Yes this is even one of my 2017’s year resolutions. So I am working on it, especially on the meditation exercises.
- Bad Habit: Analyzing situations too much.
- Why it is not good? Overthinking is never a good idea. It slows you down or even stops you from taking decisions.
- How to try to get rid of it? You have to work a bit on changing your way of thinking and your mentality so this will take some time to improve. Just take the situations as they are, and do not linger too much if some new situations arise your way. Also do try to concentrate on your present moments, what ever happened in the past should stay there, since you cannot change this anymore, and whatever will happen tomorrow is something you should deal with tomorrow.
- Bad Habit: Not being able to say no.
- Why it is not good? Yes a very though one. Not being able to say no can be a very dangerous one, so do set your boundaries as soon as possible. Make your needs and demands as clear as possible in any situations.
- How to try to get rid of it? You are an individual just as anyone else and you should take care of yourself. So do always protect yourself. Also do make a priority on the most important things that you can take care on. Also think about this: whenever you say no you do not have to give any explanations.
- Bad Habit: Too much perseverance in some situations.
- Why it is not good? It will burn you out sometimes. Too much perseverance is a positive quality, but in some situations can bring you a lot of responsibilities on your shoulder, responsibilities that you should definitely not be baring.
- How to try to get rid of it? Do not take responsibilities for actions you are not responsible for. Even if you know you can execute these actions, just take care of you as a person as well.
- Bad Habit: Too much empathy in certain situations.
- Why it is not good? Of course it is definitely a good think to be altruistic and to always help people. But be very very careful with this one: be ware of each situation you find yourself in and weight the situations and the involved individuals: in certain situations people will take advantage out of this and will leave you with even more responsibilities.
- How to try to get rid of it? Always be kind to any person and try to help as much as you can, but try to read the person behind his/her appearances, analyze the situation at hand and do not let yourself explore or even bullied.
Never skip breakfast! It is the most important meal of the day that boosts your metabolism!
Do all those little things that makes you happy as often as you can! And do always take time for them!
What about you: what are some of your bad habits? and how do you try to conquer them or to get rid of them so to say it? Wish you a great and sunny Sunday with a lot of smiles and happy thoughts!
Enjoy spring and sunny days!
Sincerely yours,
Madalina