Break a Bad Habit

At the beginning of a new year some people resolve to make a fresh start by breaking a bad habit. The most common habits people want to overcome are smoking, overeating, and over drinking. Yet many people have habits such as nail biting, compulsive shopping, hair pulling, drug addiction, and the list goes on. Yet the people who made these resolutions, end up the year with making resolutions again-the SAME ones. Has this ever happened to you? Yes, bad habits are hard to break.

What is needed to break bad habits? A good reason is one thing, and a little reward can provide some good motivation to go along with that. Trying to break your child's habit of sucking their thumb? The promise of a bicycle or some new toy could go a long way.

Concern for one's own welfare can be a powerful incentive. A person may know that smoking is bad for his health, and yet not stop. But when he begins to have difficulty breathing, coupled with suspicious chest pains, and his doctor says that smoking is to blame, love of self may provide the incentive for him to stop. Love for others can also give motivation. For instance, a young single man who spends his money away gambling, may be willing to go without proper food and clothing. However, if a man is married and has a child that might complain that there is no food in the house, then love for his family may stop him from his gambling habit. This concern for others is what may incite one to stop a habit that he now senses is annoying to others, a habit that may have been acquired from his previous environment or upbringing.

What steps can we take to try to break a bad habit?

1. Change your Environment. Maybe we are trying to break the habit of smoking. You can get rid of cigarette packs in your home, and ashtrays. Get rid of temptations.

2. Find Good Friends. You may have to find new friends if you find their bad habits are rubbing off on you. For example if you have a bad temper, would you hang out with others who have a bad temper and cause trouble?

3. Think Positive Thoughts. When a bad thought comes into your mind concerning temptations, change that to a positive thought right away, by thinking "Stop!" I am going to conquer this bad habit."

4. Keep Busy. Find activities to do with your children, friends, relatives. Go to the movies, the park, swimming, take a walk,whatever you can find to do to keep your mind off your problems.

5. Think about the repercussions on your children if you don't break your habit. If you continue with your bad habit, one thing leads to another. Smoking leads to lung cancer. Excessive alcohol can lead to liver cancer. Gambling can lead to your property being forfeited for payment of your debts. Don't you pity your children? They have a bright future to look forward to, with you. Don't make it bleak for them.

6. Pray. The bible tells us God hears our prayers. He will help us if we ask him.

• If you fail, don't quit. Get back up and try again!
• Get support from others who have gotten over a bad habit.

Do you know the brand names of cigarettes that are bad for you?

Are any brands a bit healthier for you to smoke? What are the brands that are the worst for your health so they can be avoided? Do you have a list?. I have tried: Nothing.. I think it was caused by: I am a pack a day smoker who can't stop smoking and I am looking to smoke a brand of cigarettes that is less bad for my health if I can find one.

There is no such thing as a safer brand than any other tobacco brand because smoking these releases carbon monoxide. In the 1960's tobacco companies were under fire for the published studies on Cancer Risk with Smoking so they began adding filters or "light" versions to market as safer. But these are marketing ploys enabled to continue selling cigarettes that are still used today.

The recent explosion of Electric Vaping Cigarettes is now under fire for causing Popcorn Lung from the FDA. Still they are far more safer than a regular cigarette. If you can't stop smoking that pack a day, consider changing to an electronic vaping cigarette. You will stop polluting your lungs with the carbon monoxide and only a small fraction of the chemical compounds of regular cigarettes are found in liquid tobacco. Quit Smoking is a VisiHow article with helpful tips for starting to quit the habit of smoking. It is not easy but with willpower and determination you can completely quit.

If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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