Bad habits deter you from reaching your goals in life. They put your mental and physical health in jeopardy, they waste your time and energy. So how do we deal with them?

Understand the Root of the Problem

Bad habits are our comfort blanket when we experience something emotional. When we truly understand the stressor behind our bad habits, we can change them for a better and a healthier one.

Think of your triggers:

● Where does the habit happen?

● How do you feel when it happens?

● Does it happen right after something else?

● Who is involved?

Find Alternative Healthier habits

Don’t eliminate a bad habit, try replacing it with a good one instead.

Replace it with a new habit that provides similar benefits. If you simply just cut out bad habits without replacing them with a good one, then you'll have certain needs that won’t be met. You will crave the feeling of relief the bad habit provides and the change in state it delivers.

If you usually eat fast food after work, eat something healthier as a reward for the day. If your bad habit is social media scrolling for that dopamine rush, try a different hobby that also gives you the same happiness: planting, painting or watching an informative Youtube video.

Implement healthier habits

Have a visual representation of the change you’re making- You can use The Lamare’s Track me: Habit Tracking Calendar’ to help you stay consistent. This helps you see your improvements!

Improvements don't need to be mind-blowing. Start one step at a time, and don’t forget to reward yourself. Rewards are the foundation of every new habit you want to adopt.

It takes time and commitment to break bad habits, but most importantly, it takes perseverance. You may slip several times and you might not stick to it every day. However, remember that tomorrow is a new day and you will try again. Promise yourself to try again!

Photo Credit @Kumakurkuma