Breaking Bad Habits

Stress management image.

Habits: good and bad, we all have them. Our good habits serve us well. Our bad habits hold us back, create more stress in our lives and make us miserable in the long run. Consciously choosing to replace something we know we shouldn’t do with something good for us is a wonderful thing—especially if it advances our health.

In order to turn bad habits into good ones, identify them. On a sheet of paper, list your bad habits. This is important because it raises your awareness. Bad habits attack when self-esteem is low. They often give us temporary pleasure, but usually make things worse. Being aware of a bad habit helps you to stop doing it. (If you can’t think of any bad habits, ask your spouse!)

To the right of your bad habit, think of an alternative behavior to each one and write it down. Next to your replacement habit, list some of the positive emotions or feelings that would result by substituting the good for the bad.

Exercise is a great tool to help you break bad habits. Exercise makes you feel better about yourself, which reinforces the benefits of exercising and makes you more likely to exercise again. As you become healthier and fitter, you’ll also become more productive and less likely to resume those old, bad habits.

Be easy on yourself as you make small changes in your life a little at a time. Breaking bad habits takes time and discipline.

Dr. C Asks some important questions of interest to Riverview residents - Chiropractor Riverview Dr. C Asks...

What's the difference between a "good" drug and a "bad" drug?
As a chiropractor, I see the use of many drugs (legal or illegal) as merely symptom treating. Worse, virtually every drug produces unwanted effects. The effects of chiropractic are largely positive effects. If you're a Riverview parent, consider carefully before giving your child a cough medication, cold remedy or pain reliever so this sort of question doesn't arise in the first place.
What's the difference between maintenance, prevention and wellness?
Maintenance chiropractic care is an attempt to keep a dynamic, ever-changing and adapting organism (you) in a static relationship with your environment. Preventive chiropractic care is mostly about early detection. Wellness chiropractic care is an attempt to optimize our health and be all that you were designed to be.