How do you stop bad habits? We all have them. Some less and some more. Some people have no idea what they are doing and why, while others know exactly what they are doing.

They know how bad it is for them but they choose to ignore it. So they keep on doing it every day for various reasons thinking nothing will happen, usually until it does!

A bad habit can be anything… drinking too much alcohol, overeating, smoking, not taking care of yourself, not washing your hands, grinding teeth, eating too many sweets, being rude with someone, always being late, gossip, watching too much TV, procrastinating, overthinking, lying, criticizing everything, spending too much money, gambling, playing to many computer games, not socializing, speeding, biting your nails…and the list goes on.

Some bad habits are not really that bad. They are more annoying than bad and you can overcome them easily while others can seriously damage your health and your life.

Habits form from different reasons and it doesn’t matter the age. Check out these reasons people give me when I ask them why they’re doing a certain thing:

– because I think I really like it

– because it makes me feel in a certain way

– because everyone is doing it

– because it didn’t hurt me so far

– you only live once so why not?

– I don’t do it very often or go over the “limit”

– because I’m sure I can quit anytime I want

– because it’s not that bad

– you just can’t live without it

– you can’t function right without it

– because of my environment

– because someone I know did it an nothing bad happened

– because I’m too stressed out

– because I get bored

– you need to do it to feel accepted

– I had no idea it was that bad

– because it gives you a break from your everyday stress

– because it calms you down and makes you feel better

– all my colleagues are doing it

– they will make fun of me if I don’t do it

– it’s the only way I can sleep at night (Sleeping pills)

– someone told me to do it

Do any of these reasons feel familiar to you?

Truth is… you have some bad habits. And since you’re reading this article you’re probably looking for a way to get rid of them. So here are my tips on breaking those bad habits that ruin your life.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure!

Best way to get rid of a bad habit is to never let it become one! I know, I know you already have the habit…but this will be useful for you in the future! You sure don’t need any more bad habits while trying to lose some.

Learn to recognize what’s good for you and what’s not, from the beginning. It’s enough to do it once or twice and you’re hooked.

Know that anyone with enough willpower can overcome those bad habits and improve their life. Educate yourself on managing the stressful situations in your life so you won’t get to the point you need to reach for all those bad things just because you think you’ll feel better.

Understand Why And Where It Comes From

Ok so you’ve got a bad habit …now what? Think about it for a second and ask yourself…how did that habit formed? When and what triggers it? What made you do it the first time?

Did you do it because you were feeling sad and depressed? Was it something someone said to you? Were you trying to get rid of a certain bad mood? Trying to forget for a while? To feel better? Is it because you think you’re not good enough? What was it?

Too many questions? It’s ok! Go on. Take your time! Take as much time as you need and answer them. Even better…grab a piece of paper and a pen and write it down!

But listen! Just be honest with yourself…it’s just you and the piece of paper.

Is your bad habit an emotional addiction? When going through difficult situations, depression or stressful times people tend to turn to different addictions. Reaching for the alcohol bottle, too many sweets, too much smoking too much partying and so on.

Even if they know it’s something bad, for them at that time, it gives them a superficial emotional support. It’s like an escape from whatever they’re going through. Understand it’s just that…a superficial support. A temporary relief. You’re just ignoring and covering the symptoms but the cause it’s still there.

It sure makes you feel better right? But, after the temporary sense of relief goes away you’ll feel even worse than you did at first. Disappointed, ashamed, guilty, weak, bringing you more stress, feeling more depressed and ruining your health.

Figuring out the reasons behind your bad habit it’s the first step in overcoming it.

Mindset

Do you want your bad habits to be history? Leaving a bad habit behind can be very easy once you get the right mindset! Once you get to understand that you can do it, that you are good enough, that you deserve it and you have the self- discipline to actually succeed you can start making positive changes.

If for example you eat too many sweets every day, understanding that dropping it to only once or twice a week will actually bring you only good things, can easily help you make the change. It’s ok to enjoy  and indulge from time to time just don’t overdo it!

Nothing Will Help You Unless You Help Yourself!

The sad reality is knowing how harmful a thing is for you, how it may damage your health, your life, your family and loved ones and choosing to ignore it.

It takes a lot of willpower to overcome a bad habit and even more to get rid of it forever!

No one and nothing will help you overcome your bad habits unless you’re willing to put some effort in. Some people get so comfortable with their bad habits that they don’t really want to stop. Change scares them!

No matter how difficult your situation is know that you are not alone and that you can overcome it!

Remember when you didn’t have that habit and you used to be fine? So if you were fine and able to live without it back then you can also do it now!

It’s all about how far you will let things go. Unfortunately most people get rid of their bad habits when it’s too late. When the damage it’s already done. Don’t let it get that far.

You can’t turn back the time and there are damages you cannot reverse! Learn to make the right choices every single day. It won’t be easy but what have you got to lose? Just some unhealthy habits!

You and only you can decide how you want to live your life!

Good Advices And Bad Advices

Watch out what advices you receive from people. No matter who the person is… make sure it’s a good advice. So many times people are following advices which are not good for them ending up doing more harm than good.

Not everyone has good intentions and even if they do, what works for others might not work for you. So make sure you’re not doing more harm than good by following someone’s advice!

Willpower…Let Me Say That Again WILLPOWER

Do you really want to overcome it or not? It’s not easy! And you know this very well if you tried to get rid of a bad habit before. Maybe you succeeded for a short while only to end up doing it again.

Breaking a habit it’s not easy at all. Let’s say that you’re smoking for 10, 15 years. You’ve been exposed for such a long time that your mind thinks it’s something normal and something that you really need in order to function properly. You think you can’t live without it. But you can!

You can train your mind to think in a healthier way! It’s all about how bad you want it.

How much do you actually care about your life and your health? If you want to get rid of a bad habit know that you’re doing it for yourself! You chose to live a healthier and happier life!

Can You Quit Cold Turkey Or Not?

Can you really do it? Can someone just simply quit? YES you can. Usually there are two situations when people break a bad habit immediately!

First situation is when they understand it’s not good for them and have enough willpower to just give up! And the second one is when their life, their health is in stake. Don’t let it get this far!

What if going cold turkey isn’t the solution for you?

If you can’t quit all of a sudden it’s ok! Try to take it step by step! Some bad habits are harder to overcome than others but not impossible. An easy solution is to try to improve your life as much as you can. Make it a goal and do the best to achieve it.

Start adding more healthy and positive things in your life. Do everything to improve your life, get out and live, get more social, surround yourself with happy, healthy people.

Make healthier choices in everything you do!

Take smalls steps if you must but make sure you’re moving forward!  A lot of times just by improving your life, surrounding yourself with the right people and becoming happier it will magically make you forget about your bad habits!

You’ll get so happy and full of life and energy that you won’t feel the need to get back to your old bad habits. It won’t feel normal to you anymore. You’ll actually start wondering how the heck you lived like that!

Do Some Cleaning!

So many bad habits are created because of your surroundings. Often the places you go to and the people you meet may cause you to form certain habits that are not good for you. Seeing someone or going to a certain place, even something that someone said can be a trigger for that bad habit.

So start cleaning! Tweak your environment. Listen…overcoming some habits requires big life changes. Big but positive! Understand that you are unique, you don’t have to please everyone and you don’t have to fit in!

Why not stand out? Why not just be yourself? Show me one really happy and successful person that achieved all that happiness by trying to fit into something he or she didn’t actually like!

Clean you environment, your social life, get rid of anything that drags you down and causes you to do things you don’t want and like. If you can’t do it by yourself ask for help. It’s ok to ask for help!

It Takes Time!

Understand that breaking a bad habit it’s not easy and it takes time. But you already know this don’t you? Sometimes it takes days, sometimes months! Remember it’s easier to form bad habits than it is to form healthy habits so be patient because it takes time.

Sometimes you’ll feel great and make progress and other times you’ll feel like you’re making a step forward and two steps backwards. Don’t give up! If you’re having a moment of weakness don’t beat yourself up.  It’s ok! It happens and it’s part of the process. Just make sure you get back on track.

Do It One At The Time

If you have more than one bad habit that you’re trying to get rid of, take it slowly… step by step. Trying to overcome all of them in the same time might be too much all of a sudden. Start small, change one at the time.

Whatever bad habit you’re trying to get rid of, know that you can succeed! It might not be easy, it might take a lot of time, but, it might be the best thing for your life.

Choose wisely how you live each day! Say goodbye to bad habits and make room for a happier and healthier life. Life isn’t always easy but it can be really wonderful if you just give it an honest chance!