As the 1st January has been and gone, many of us will have set ourselves new year’s resolutions (that we might have already broken). According to one commonly cited statistic, only about 8% of people stick to their new year’s resolutions. So, what if you could be part of that 8%? What if you could be the type of person who keeps these promises to be better to yourself? What is it that gives someone the ability to control a negative lifetime habit?
Deep down we know that bad habits stop you from achieving what you really want out of life. Most bad habits come from either stress or boredom or perhaps both. The problem is that simply deciding to cut off a bad habit usually ends in relapse.
The best way to deal with a habit you don’t want anymore, is to replace it with something positive. The two don’t have to be related. For example, your bad habit could be unhealthy eating but this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to replace it with carrot sticks and celery. You may be eating because you’re bored, so why not fill that boredom with a new activity? A new activity such as kung fu.
People are often afraid of trying new things, but all it takes is that first step of action. Then you can be on your way to breaking a bad habit completely. ‘People’ is probably the wrong word to use, adults are the ones so afraid of trying new things whereas kids will usually try anything. It’s never too late to start a new habit like kung fu. Replacing whatever your lifetime habit was with something positive is the first stage in kicking that habit for good.
Another way to address a bad habit is to first accept what it is, and to acknowledge the triggers for the habit. You may be indulging in a little too much chocolate or you may be smoking. It doesn’t even have to be health related, it could be something like being in a toxic relationship. Whatever it is, make sure you distract yourself with something productive. Avoid the triggers and plunge yourself into a different atmosphere. Kung fu teaches the self-discipline you need to tackle the bad habit head on as well as promoting a healthy lifestyle both physically and mentally.
Self-discipline is so important because not only will it help you combat the bad habit, it will also prevent you from picking up bad habits in the future. There is no doubt that a lifetime habit won’t go away overnight but you can tell yourself that this is perfectly fine. A relapse is possible, but it’s your ability to keep going that separates you from those who won’t make the change. As they say, slow and steady wins the race.
Lifetime habits are hard to change. They’ve obviously been there for a long time, but they are not impossible to change. Get support from other people and remember how good it feels when you’re practising the positive change and feeling the benefit of breaking that negative habit.
If you want to introduce positive habits into your life and practise self-discipline, try adult kung fu with Meridian Kung Fu. With friendly classes in Southend and throughout south Essex, there’s something for you. Remember too that everyone starts as a beginner.
www.meridiankungfu.com
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Practising martial arts offers exciting and dynamic training for the mind, body and spirit. Committing to a workout routine can be tough, particularly without a coach or trainer. Meridian Kung Fu offers kids and adult students dynamic step-by-step sessions, coached by professional instructors at every class they attend.