Why is it we cling to bad habits that stand in our way of crushing our drive to be fit, get healthier – physically and mentally – and overall be happier? We have the intentions, but no matter how good or great they may be, we stumble. We want to make time to exercise, get active, eat more vegetables, consume less alcohol, get off the computer – but in our minds, we feel we can’t break past them.
Or is it we just won’t?
We certainly would if we were more aware of this one extremely simple thing:
We don’t think we know a healthier way to deal with stress and boredom.
These habits are ones we feel might be useful to us, but are in fact more damaging than helpful. Do some of the following sound familiar to you?
• Smoking
• Unhealthy food choices
• Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
• Watching TV/playing video games (excessive amounts of sedentary time)
• Procrastinating (getting meal prep done, working out, finishing a project…)
• Fidgeting (nail biting, tapping, pen clicking)
Can you think of any other habits you have that are not listed? While these are just some habits, over time they end up becoming familiar or comfortable mechanisms for us to cope with being bored or stressed; We don’t use a healthier way of coping.
Why not rid ourselves of those old tendencies and replace them with something we could actually benefit from?
Those healthier habits do exist.
There’s no single answer. Everyone is different, but here are some ideas:
• Get Active. It doesn’t even have to involve the gym. Go for a walk and enjoy nature, ride a bike, or go for a swim, or dance! Better yet, bring a friend or two and make it social.
• Do Simple Body Exercises. Push-ups, sit-ups, yoga, jumping-jacks; there are plenty of exercises out there that don’t involve the use of equipment or hitting the gym.
• Get Creative (Without a screen!) Play an instrument. Doodle. Journal. Like your body, you should exercise all the muscles of your brain.
• Meditate. Have you ever sat and just done nothing? Try this in place of fidgeting, even if it’s just for a minute. Focus on your breathing. Let your mind wander.
Like our old habits, new habits take time to create. It takes repetition not only to create, but also to undo.
This month, I encourage you to try something out of habit. Schedule it for yourself – once a week or once a day at a particular time that works for you. Take note of how you feel. Explore it and see what happens.
I sound like a broken record – but practice makes permanent.
--MJ
Undoing bad Habits