How To Overcome Destructive Habits In Your Life

Destructive habits and behaviors have the ability to destroy your happiness.

It is extremely difficult to achieve your goals and dreams if you consistently engage in destructive habits.

Self-defeating behaviors are a universal part of the human experience. However, that doesn't mean that you can't change your habitual responses.

If you've been struggling to figure out how to overcome destructive habits in your life, keep reading!

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Destructive habits hold you back from success in life.

Luckily, you have the power to overcome bad habits and replace them with empowering ones. The challenge that a lot of people face is that destructive habits feel good. Engaging in these behaviors may feel like you are giving yourself a gift because you're receiving instant gratification from them.

However, you need to ask yourself, “How do you feel about yourself after you indulge in these destructive habits? Does your self-esteem go up or down?” Your answer may surprise you. A lot of people don't think about the long-term effects of their actions until it's too late.

Deep down inside, we all know what is right and wrong. It's called a moral compass. Whenever you do something that is empowering, you will feel good about yourself. Conversely, if you go against your values, your self-esteem will take a massive hit.

The question is, “Why is it so hard to drop destructive habits?”

Research shows that the biggest reason why habits are difficult to change is that they are ingrained behaviors. When you do things on a regular basis, your neurons are conditioned to make the action automatic. The good news is that there is a way to reprogram your mind to act in empowering ways.

Let's talk about a 3-step process for how to overcome destructive habits in your life.

1. Be honest with yourself

Awareness is the first step to changing anything in your life. This is one of the most valuable character traits that you can have. Unfortunately, a lot of people have blind spots, meaning that they aren't even aware that they are engaging in destructive habits. Even worse, they go to great lengths to justify why it's okay.

Let's face it.. it doesn't feel good to admit that you're addicted to something destructive. However, if you have the courage to be honest with yourself, that's when everything in your life can change. The truth will set you free.

2. Link pain to destructive habits and pleasure to empowering ones

You have two paths that you can take. The first is making the choice to indulge in a destructive habit. Conversely, you can think about what the positive consequence would be of taking the more empowering path. When I link a negative consequence to a destructive habit, I like to imagine the worst possible scenario.

You want to train yourself to focus on the negative aspects of your destructive habit, so much so that your brain doesn't even see that path as a viable option. It comes down to finding a purpose for why you want to take care of your mind and body. When you can do that, the empowering path feels so much more in alignment with the direction that you want your life to take.

3. Do a 30-day challenge

If you want to stop engaging in destructive habits, you have to replace them with empowering ones. In my experience, a 3o-day challenge is a great way to do this effectively. Experts say that most habits can be broken if you can go 30 days without them.

For example, let's say that smoking cigarettes decreases your anxiety. If that's the case, it's a bad idea to stop smoking altogether. Instead, you want to come up with a more empowering way of coping with your anxiety and implement that new behavior into your daily life.

The hardest part of developing a new habit is right at the beginning. That is when it will require the most discipline and willpower from you. However, it becomes a lot easier afterward and the habit will become habitual. If you can get past the first 30 days, it will be easier to maintain a new habit and build it up, long-term.

One of my favorite ways to develop new habits is through a morning ritual. If you don't have a ritual, I encourage you to create one. It's a game changer.

When I'm doing a 30-day challenge, I like to have an accountability buddy. This is someone who is on the same path as me and who wants to implement a new healthy habit into their life. It's a lot easier to stay on top of your goals and not back out when you are accountable to someone else.

This is how to overcome destructive habits in your life.

When you change your habits, you change your life. If you're struggling to believe that you can change, I encourage you to find other people who have overcome whatever it is that you're struggling with. Have these people be your role models. If they were able to overcome a destructive habit, so can you.

Whenever you feel like you're going off track, come back to this 3-step process. Don't be so hard on yourself. Focus on the progress that you've made, and whatever you do, don't give up.

What is one destructive habit that you are ready to let go of? Publically declare it and stick with it!

Want to know 21 powerful morning rituals that will help you master your time, health, and energy? CLICK HERE for instant access to my FREE cheatsheet!