Habit 6: Quit One Unhealthy Habit

I'm purposely timing this one with Lent, since many of my friends and family members observe Lent and will be looking for something to give up over that 40 day period of time.  Most of the people I know give up something they love that is a sacrifice to live without, (such as chocolate, coffee, snacking between meals, or using Facebook).  I grew up Catholic, and I was taught that giving up something you loved for Lent was a good reminder of the sacrifice God made in giving up his son, Jesus.  Even if you don't observe Lent, giving up something you love helps us appreciate it more.  It can be a good reminder of how fortunate we are to have all the wonderful things we have.

Here's something else to consider...if you are going to give something up, it might be even better to give up something that isn't healthy for you in the first place.

Is there something you do that isn't good for you, or for the people around you?  Is there something you do that causes a twinge of guilt to surface whenever you do it?  Something that causes you to feel guilty later on?  Is there something your family and friends have been nagging you to quit for some time now? 

Here are a few common things people generally desire to give up:
-time-wasters, like spending too much time online, watching TV, or playing electronic games/apps
-food-related issues, like over-eating or not eating enough
-unhealthy relationships, like that one toxic person that just keeps dragging you down a hole
-over-spending and/or buying stuff you don't need and will probably never even use
-addictions (drugs, alcohol, porn, gambling, etc.)

Challenge for the Week:
Resolve to give up one unhealthy habit.

Even the best of us have at least one thing in our lives that's gotta go.  You know that thing I'm talking about.  Most likely, it was the very first thing that popped into your head when I asked the questions above.  If you truly don't know, just ask the people closest to you whether you have any unhealthy habits (then brace for impact...).

Admittedly, this is a really hard topic.  We all like to live in denial land.  We tell ourselves that whatever we are doing is really not that bad, when compared to ______(fill in the blank), and it could be a lot worse.  Sound familiar?  We ignore the negative effect our bad habit has on us.  We minimize the impact it has on those around us.  We find all sorts of excuses to justify it or rationalize it.

But the truth is, we would be better off without it.

Whatever that thing is to you, you probably need to figure out how it became a habit in the first place.  Find the root of the problem.  If you don't know why you keep turning to it, you probably will have a harder time letting it go for good.  It might not even be something you can quit on your own.  You might need help--not only support from those around you, but maybe even help from professionals.  Since I am not a professional, here are a few other articles you can read that might help:

James Clear: How to Break a Bad Habit, (and Replace It With a Good One)
Dr. Phil: Seven Steps to Quit an Addition
Huffington Post: 13 Ways to Quit Anything!
Reader's Digest: 10 Bad Habits and How to Quit Them

Find a support network and an accountability partner who understands what you are going through and will give you the tough-love treatment to help you succeed!!
Just do it!!  (See my post on finding motivation if you need some).