Habits are very easy to form, but very difficult to break. Developing habits that provide you with short term relief is sometimes a problem and sometimes not. If your habit is reading to excess, you might not find that as much of a problem as, say, smoking tobacco.
Some habits are addictive where others are carefully managed, but nicotine addiction, much like drugs or alcohol, is one of the most commonly discussed bad habits. While there is more of a spotlight on rehabilitation centers for drug addicts and Alcoholics, there is also the spotlight on the rise of products like Velo nicotine pouches. Offering smoker’s an alternative to traditional cigarettes is a great way to break a habit, but sometimes the alternatives to the habit isn’t a fix. In fact, it takes a lot more than just replacing a product to be able to break a habit.
Breaking a habit isn’t easy, and it takes a lot of hard work on your part to get through it, but if you’re looking for a reason to make improvements to life, we’ve put together a list of why you should be giving up bad habits and make yourself a positive change.
It’s better for your physical health.
Bad habits such as drinking alcohol to excess is going to contribute to a range of health problems. Smoking, even in the form of occasional social smoking, can negatively impact your cardiovascular system and increase your risk of lung disease. Drinking alcohol can impact your brain function and your liver. Eating to excess can damage your heart and your teeth.
In time, these habits can weaken your body and increase your vulnerability to serious health conditions and all of it could have been avoided. When you make a point of quitting bad habits, you’re making a choice to allow your body to heal, function, and move at its optimal level. This will lead to living a longer and healthier life.
You’ll be able to think better.
If you are consumed by a bad habit such as taking drugs or drinking alcohol, relying on those substances to cope can cloud your mind. You want to be able to think clearly and think better, so relying on things that can stimulate the release of dopamine but don’t give you a moment to think, can make your body forget what it is to feel normal and how to get to that normal stage.
A dependency on a substance can interfere with your ability to concentrate or think clearly and that can lead to poor decision making. When you break free of those habits, you give your mind a chance to become clearer and allow it to focus on what truly matters. This then allows you to approach challenges with a sharper and more logical mindset.
You’re going to have money!
Some habits can be a true drain on your wallet. Gambling, shopping, drugs, alcohol, smoking- all of these things can drain your finances. When you choose to give up those habits, you’re going to be able to stop spending that money on cigarettes, alcohol, junk food, or impulse shopping. It’s not going to be easy to quit, and we don’t want to imply that it will be, but by putting your money towards more productive and fulfilling pursuits, you’re going to feel genuine joy and have long term satisfaction as a result.
Saving up for a trip or investing in your education is far more beneficial to your future than getting your next fix. However, you can’t just make that decision alone. You need help and support to get there.
Your energy levels will spike.
Living with bad habits can sap your energy and be a drain on your overall life, not just your wallet. This leaves you feeling tired and sluggish, but it can be avoided. By plying your body with unhealthy foods or cigarettes or alcohol, you’re going to affect the quality of your sleep and feel tired all the time. Habits like this could also lead to procrastination, constant stress, and a constant need to seek out the next thing that you could have. Without these habits, your body and your mind will be more In Sync, leading to a better sense of vitality and the chance to tackle daily tasks with enthusiasm.
You can build and repair your relationships.
Bad habits are not just something that affect you. The habits that you lean into will take a toll on your relationships with everybody in your life. Whether it’s because you’re neglecting your responsibilities at work or you’re acting out of character with your family, causing emotional distress to those around you because you are consumed by your consumption is not the way to go.
This is no way to live. Making that big choice and taking that huge step to quit those habits will allow you to be more present and engaged with the people that you care about. It will remind you that there is more to life than just yourself, and sometimes that’s the shake that you need.
Your confidence will soar.
Constantly engaging in self destructive behaviours can chip away at your self-esteem. Over time, the feelings of guilt, shame, or even frustration with yourself can build. When you make the conscious decision to quit your bad habits, you take back better control of your life. Overcoming addiction, breaking free from procrastination, or changing your negative behaviour patterns can help you to build more resilience and build your confidence. The more successful the experience in breaking off those bad habits, the stronger your belief in yourself. This will lead to a belief in being able to achieve the goals that you’re looking to achieve.
You’ll finally get that good night’s sleep.
Some bad habits can lead to you having difficulty with sleeping and getting enough rest. Consuming caffeine late in the day or smoking excessively can disrupt your sleep patterns. The more addictive the habit, the harder it is to rest because your body will be craving what you are missing. Poor sleep hygiene leads to a range of problems such as insomnia and restlessness, and that leaves you feeling tired and unproductive the next day.
This then has a knock on effect on your job or your studies which could lead to either quitting or failing. That then leads you back to the beginning where your habit will be waiting for you to comfort you and soothe you and around it goes.
You will feel so much happier.
Knowing that you’ve taken a big step into healing and feeling better will help you to feel happier in the long term. Habits can offer you short bursts of pleasure or relief, but the lasting happiness just isn’t there. You’re constantly chasing what you can’t grasp, but true happiness comes from balance.
You need a life of balance and purpose to be able to feel completely happy and eliminating those habits that are holding you back will create that space for it. It doesn’t matter whether the happiness comes from building on those relationships that you want last or getting a good night’s sleep, removing your bad habits can help you to find satisfaction in the long term of your life.
Bad habits are not easy to break and we are not going to pretend it’s going to be an overnight solution. In fact, it can take a long time to break your habits. The decision itself to give up can be a challenge but it will ultimately lead to you feeling more fulfilled and rewarded in life.
