A new year brings many opportunities. Most of the time, however, we tend to let the frantic pace of the everyday dictate how we live our lives. Biting your nails, smoking, obsession with work or a poor diet are all bad habits caused by stress and anxiety. In order to truly leave some of your unhealthy habits behind you, it's important to establish realistic goals. Whether it's smoking or having a pessimistic outlook on life, our expert psychiatrist and psychotherapist can help adjust your approach with some simple advice.
- Recognizing and raising awareness of improper negative energy (nerve stimulation) is a simple step, yet it is more important than anything. Self-reflection is an essential element to better understanding our place in the world. That time for self-examination when you stop what you are doing and devote a little time to your thoughts.
"Why would I like to change myself? What motivates me? Why do I feel uncomfortable in my own body? Have I reached that lowest physical/emotional point that is enough to push me to alter my behavior, with no compromises? Am I prepared to do everything to make a change, a transformation, even if it is going to be hard work at first and take me out of my comfort zone?
- Ask yourselves how and with what tools can you take up the fight against negative feelings that feed your bad habits. What can help? The goal is to stay in the present and for this, any mindfulness method is worth considering, like the raisin exercise, for example, or even mindfulness-based meditation.
You can always overwrite a bad habit with a new action, which itself can become a new habit with consistent repetitive application.
- In the search for solutions, you can also find other beneficial activities such as yoga, drinking tea, retreating to nature or perhaps the use of various breathing exercises. A conscious distribution of your time can also have a beneficial effect on the energy levels you feel in your day. With a short walk in the morning, or a longer one in the evening, you will already feel calmer in your own skin. You can choose other programs instead of walking – the success of the method depends whether it fits your personality and if you genuinely enjoy it.
Don’t be intimidated if you fail to give up your bad habits at the first attempt! Relapse is a completely natural phenomenon, though if it does happen, it might be a good idea to seek help from friends, family or even a professional.
