Did you know that habits can take less than 30 days to form? That means that whatever you do on a daily basis, you probably have been doing for months, or even years. Most of our days consist of performing tasks and reacting to others in ways that are second nature to us.
However, some of these habits could be harmful to you, and may even be holding you back from reaching your potential. If you have any of the following common habits, now’s the chance to nip them in the bud and become the best version of you possible!
5 Bad Habits That Can Hold You Back From Your Best Self:
1. Caring too much about what others think.
Sometimes you have to do what’s best for you and your life, not what’s best for everyone else.
All too often, people live life trying to please others, attempting to avoid ruffling feathers. While you might be well-liked by others, you will never find happiness in life if you don’t do what makes YOU happy.
Give up the need for approval, and just do what comes naturally to you. Many people trade in their individuality and dreams for a life that makes everyone happy except for themselves. It really doesn’t matter what others think of you – just worry about yourself, and everything will fall into place. You can’t control other’s opinions of you, but you can control what you think about yourself.
2. Emotional eating.
This habit can be tough to break because food gives us instant gratification. If we have a bad day at work, we can come home and order a box of pizza to take the stresses of the day away. While the pizza might make you temporarily happy, it doesn’t solve the underlying issues. Many people use food as a crutch to carry them through life, instead of tacking the problems head-on.
Next time you feel upset, try to get at the heart of the problem instead of covering it up with sugary or fattening foods that won’t serve your best interests in the long run. Feel the emotion that makes you want to eat and analyze your triggers. Then, flip your mind to make that a time where you do something constructive for your body – make it 5 push-ups instead of 5 bites!
3. Not acting on your dreams.
Unfortunately, too many people have regrets at the end of their lives, when they should be reminiscing about all the fun times they had. The only way to have things to reminisce about is to actually do things. Make memories. Go against the grain. Listen to that voice telling you to follow your dreams even if they sound crazy. You will never know if you don’t try, and even if things don’t work out, you will have grown as a person and learned invaluable lessons about life.
Taking risks and jumping into the unknown may seem scary, but if you don’t move forward you can’t reach your full potential. Live while you can, and reach for the stars. When you take chances, you can at least say you tried, and that feels much better than never trying at all.
4. Always wanting the last word.
Desiring to get the last word comes not from you, but from your ego. When you let your ego run the show, it wants to be right and won’t back down without a fight. It might feel gratifying to get the last word in a discussion or argument, but it will only deplete your energy and leave you feeling exhausted. Sometimes, it’s best to walk away and let the other person get the last word. You can at least leave with your dignity and put your energy into something more useful than this bad habit.
5. Living in the past or the future.
In the book The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, he talks about how accepting the present and completely surrendering to what’s happening right now can bring you immense happiness. He explains that many people feel unhappy not because of their circumstances, but because they aren’t even present to enjoy life as it unfolds.
The only real moment is now; the past and present are just an illusion. Time doesn’t separate your past, present, and future – it only knows your reaction to these concepts, and the Universe will keep giving you experiences that match your energy and vibration. If you want to feel happier, surrender to what IS. You cannot go back to the past, nor can you travel to the future. You can only live in the now, so why not fully experience the joy of simply being alive in the present? Because you will never get this moment back, you may as well make the most of it and enjoy it while you can!
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