Shedding Bad Habits for a Better Personal Life
Helping the people around us often means first taking a look inwards. We all have bad habits or issues from the past that inform our daily behaviors, identifying and addressing these can help us to lead healthier, happier lives, with stronger and more wholesome relationships. Here are a few to look out for.
Belittlement
Many people are willing to accept or even help alleviate inwards-facing negativity. The problem is when someone who is in a negative spiral allows that to maliciously inform their actions towards and attempts to vandalize the achievements of others. Stemming from feelings of jealousy or inadequacy, this pattern of behavior is a surefire way to damage your close relationships. It can be extremely demoralizing for others if they’re not allowed to celebrate moments of success (whether big or small) without fear of ridicule or receiving negative reinforcement.
Trying to stem this kind of behavior isn’t always easy, but there are a few schools of thought that can help. The first thing to keep in mind is that the ways we treat ourselves often inform the ways we treat other people. If you can begin to adapt your internal terminology to include more encouraging words and become more conscious of your self-deprecating thoughts, you’ll find a change reflected in your interactions with others. A good practice is to say three compliments to yourself in the morning and at night – getting into the habit of self-reinforcement is key to healthy relations with others.
Work Stress Regurgitation
Many of us experience acute levels of stress at work. Especially over long periods of time, this can easily affect our dealings with the people around us. It’s common, for example, to return from a hard day, when you may have been mistreated by a boss or a coworker, and then to regurgitate that negativity onto your co-habitants.
The key to avoiding this scenario is two-fold. If you’re reliant on your job and unable to move elsewhere, then you’ll have to take steps to divide your work and home life. A good tactic is to visit the gym immediately after work – this will allow you to burn off any excess anger and create a barrier between the stressors of the workplace and the unsuspecting folks at home. Alternatively, you could consider leaving your current employment entirely – if there is a viable, potentially happier option elsewhere, there’s no reason you should stay in your place of work for a second longer than you have to.
Physical Health
Considering that our relationships with ourselves are pivotal to our relationships with others. If you’re physically unhealthy, obese, out of shape, or if you’re struggling with smoking, drinking, or substance habits, it’s easy to manifest a sense of self-loathing, and for this to be projected outwards at others. If you want to care for the people around you, a good first step is to care for yourself.
The solutions are simple – to accept yourself as you are, or, if your sense of self-worth is tied into your weight/health, then improving your physical wellbeing will hypothetically lead to you becoming a more amicable, pleasant person to be around. But simple isn’t easy – it takes time, dedication, and patience to reverse poor habits and get into a positive health and exercise regime. A good kicking-off point is to begin cooking fresh recipes and enjoying a more expansive relationship with food. A nutritious meal can be just as delicious as junk food and the process of making it can reveal undiscovered talents, new, exciting flavors, and dinner items sure to impress others.
The chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re already taking steps to be more conscious of your behavioral habits. Taking note and checking in with yourself is half the battle, once you know what you have to address, the rest is all downhill.
Therapy Connection is dedicated to serving men and women who are looking for therapy that is supportive, and effective. Our online and virtual therapists are dedicated mental health professionals who can help get you to be the best version of yourself. Learn more, at: www.therapyconnectiononline.com
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