We all have bad habits - whether you're aware of them or not. I had a bad habit of sucking my thumb until I was 10 years old, which in the end led to me having corrective jaw surgery at 16 (ok so they're not all that extreme). I also leave tissues everywhere (most unused, I just seem to grab one to use it and then forget). Some habits are easier to break than others, and sometimes it just takes a change in outlook or routine to break them. Here are just a couple that can be easier to manage than we think.
1. Social Media
There's a lot of negativity that surrounds social media and the impact it has on our mental health. Personally I just think it comes down to how and how much you use it. I love that Instagram in Australia has removed showing the number of 'likes' on photos as I think people will focus more on posting pictures they like and then get disheartened when it only receives 10 likes. For me Twitter has to be my favourite platform as It's usually the most entertaining and insightful and you know, there aren't pictures of people in bikinis every other post.
I have friends who are constantly checking the feed on IG that shows you what photos your followers have liked, and that never ends well - you're just asking to see things you know are going to annoy you. I just ignore it all together and to be honest I don't spend a lot of time scrolling on IG. If you find yourself comparing yourself to others on the site, or see things that tend to bother you or get you down - unfollow (or mute) them or don't look. Instead follow pages that will motivate you! I love Charli Howard's body positivity on her account, and I could spend ages scrolling through Emily Malice's tattoo art work.
2. Gossiping
We're all familiar with the phrase 'small minds discuss other people' right? How draining is it when you're around a group of people who spend their time discussing who X is with, how much weight X has put on/lost or how annoying X is because they keep posting pictures in Bali, when really you're saying that because you wish it was you on that holiday.
There are two ways to go about this, if the majority of your friends are constantly discussing other people in a negative light, either don't partake in the conversation or if you don't agree with what they're saying, maybe even stand up for that person - even if your friends will be less than impressed.
3. Smoking
I can't write a list about bad habits without mentioning smoking can I? Smoking is something that has never appealed to me, even when I've tried one after two puffs I've pulled a face of disgust and thrown it on the floor (much to the annoyance of the person who gave me one). So as a non-smoker I thought, surely it can't be that hard to quit? As my smoker friends have pointed out, yes it is.
Luckily there are other methods now like e-cigarettes which has been found as the most effective way to give up. Switching to vape kits can make the process of quitting easier as they bring everything you need (and they smell great) to make the switch. More so you don't even have to leave your bad and can have a browse through an online vape store - because who actually goes out to buy anything anymore? What's interesting is that England plans to be smoke-free in the next decade - wouldn't that be nice? You can all go on a night out/for a meal without having half the people leave to go have a smoke every 15 minutes!
4. Sugar
I've got pretty good at cutting out sugar when it comes to my tea and coffee - I've managed to bring it down to half a teaspoon which I think is quite an achievement. If you spend a lot of time with me, you'll know my weakness is chocolate and sweets which is why in the lead up to my Fiji trip I'm having to boycott 7/11 all together because I have no will power whatsoever.
I've found the best way to stop sugar cravings is to just cut it out all together for the day. If I tell myself I'm just going to have 'a chocolate' from the bag I know I'll end up getting 3 or 4. Whereas if I agree that today I'm not going to have anything sweet, and then I'll treat myself to something tomorrow I can control my cravings a lot better.
5. Being late
This is definitely one of my pet peeves, I really don't understand how people can be late every! single! time! There's times that being on time are out of your control - the bus is late, you're stuck in traffic or you got your foot stuck in a bear trap or something.
On the other hand, if you know you're someone who takes ages to get ready, or you're a slow walker or you just simply don't care about wasting other people's time, then just pretend you have to get there 30 minutes earlier than the actual time and, you know try and aim for that.
What do you think are some of your worst habits?
G
* This is a collaborative post but all words and opinions are my own *
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