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. Wexler Asks some important questions of interest to Framingham residents - Chiropractor Framingham Dr. Wexler Asks...

What's the difference between sick care and health care?
Sick care is largely about relieving or suppressing symptoms. Health care is about improving performance. While sick care is about how you feel, health care is about how you function. Sick care is what you do to treat an obvious problem, and health care is what you do to avoid the problem and advance your well-being.
What's your plan to deal with drug-resistant 'super germs'?
Chiropractors have always been concerned with the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, accelerating the mutation of microbes that make "wonder" drugs increasingly ineffective. My strategy? Do everything possible to bolster my immune system through proper diet, rest, exercise, clean air, pure water and an optimally functioning nervous system with regular chiropractic care.