Breaking a habit is no easy task. While there is varied research on the actual length of time it takes to form a habit, and break a habit – it’s much easier to form than to free yourself of the neural pathways that are created when we begin to automatically partake in a certain practice.
Many habits (including smoking or excess sugar consumption) involve the brain’s dopamine (or reward) system. Dopamine is the ‘feel-good’ hormone that we are often striving for when reaching for that extra cookie. The first time you engage in a new, ‘rewarding’ behaviour, you get a euphoric feeling from doing it as a result of a dopamine release. This feeling is addictive and used as an escape from facing negative encounters. It’s a ‘quick fix’ solution that actually results in more harm than good.
Since habits take practise and repetition to form, the same is true when it comes to breaking them.
Here are some helpful tips to free yourself from bad habits:
Reduce stress
When we experience stress, confrontation or any form of emotional shift – we often want to repress these feelings by replacing them with ‘feel good’ feelings. Hence we search for our vices to release the hit of dopamine that will chase the blues away. By getting a better handle on your emotions and being prepared for when these feelings arise, we are better able to work through the problem without looking to escape from it.
Try to get more sleep, exercise regularly and opt for stress reduction techniques like meditation and yoga which can all work to increase willpower and overall brain health.
Have a positive mindset
Use your intentions as your motivator. It’s one thing to replace a habit with something else, but allowing yourself the space and peace of mind to do it should come from knowing your quest and following it through with strength.
When you feel yourself drawn towards your vice – take a moment to remember why you want to eliminate it, what you hope to achieve from the liberation and all the positive rewards for removing it from your life.
Sit with your emotions, feel them and allow them to pass (whatever we resist persists) – let the emotions come and let them go.
Feel the emotions – but let go of the story. The stories are what keeps us hooked in to our emotions and pain.
Take yourself out in nature for a walk or run yourself a bath with candles and essential oils (self care practices to nourish the soul).
Express yourself through journaling.
Speak with a friend or qualified health professional.
Make a plan
Preparation is key to breaking habits. Knowing what to do when you are faced with your vice will give you the strength to push past it.
Before you begin your detox, have a think about:
How you are going to avoid the triggers/cues?
What you are going to do when they (naturally) pop up?
How are you going to reward yourself for not succumbing to them?
Shifts in lifestyle can be very helpful for eliminating a vice. You’re going into new contexts and situations, so you don’t have those same cues—it’s a chance to form new habits. Maybe it’s time to join that gym you’ve had your eye on, or a creative club or even just learning a new hobbie can give you something to look forward to.
Replace a bad habit with a good one
Breaking a long-term habit that your brain automatically moves towards without conscious thought is possible but the journey is long and a lot of people struggle to go cold-turkey. In fact, the more we try to stop something – the more energy we put into it which in turn makes us want it more as we are constantly thinking about it.
Instead of trying to stop doing something, start doing something else.
By replacing bad habits with good habits, or at least alternatives. We are able to ease our way out of destructive behaviours.
Make the switch from:
Processed sweets (chocolate, cookies, chips etc) to whole fruits (apples, papaya, berries etc)
Smoking to deep breathing, meditation, a walk around the block or chew neem toothpicks
Alcoholic beverages to un-alcoholic grape juice or kombucha
5 easy steps you can take to go sugar-free:
Eat more protein with each meal. This balances your blood glucose and creates a slower release of energy to reduce sugar cravings. Need a quick protein boost? Stock up on nuts and seeds, unsweetened yoghurt, or add a spoonful of hemp or rice protein powder to a smoothie.
Eliminate processed carbohydrates. White carbs turn into glucose far too quickly in the body, resulting in a release of insulin by the pancreas. This leads to blood sugar fluctuations and sugar cravings. Avoid these types of carbs and replace them with whole grains like rolled oats, brown rice and quinoa.
Stock up on healthy sugar substitutes – Stevia is by far the best, as it is plant-derived and has no effect on blood glucose. Agave nectar is very popular at the moment but be careful – it can still increase blood glucose levels (about the same amount as honey). Whatever you do, please avoid artificial sweeteners. They do more harm than good, with studies linking them to neurotoxicity, liver damage, cancer, and would you believe it… weight gain!
Avoid processed foods. These often contain hidden sugars, so if you must use them, make sure you read the labels carefully. Look for anything that ends in “-ose” (such as fructose, glucose, maltose… you get the idea) as these are just other types of sugar.
Distract yourself with a fridge full of healthy options! Fresh fruit, young coconuts, raw cacao and fresh juices are all wonderful, nutrient-rich distractions which you can have as a treat without any guilt. If sugar cravings arise, try a delaying tactic like making a cup of herbal tea or cutting up a fruit platter.
We hope you’re feeling inspired to break free from bad habits and kick-start this year by leaving that which didn’t serve you in the past!
Addictions and vices can be seen as band-aids that suppress those uncomfortable feelings or emotions we may be experiencing. The beauty of removing these vices/band-aids is that we are able to release the negative emotions and free ourselves from the pain and suffering.
Seeing a health professional such as a psychologist can be very helpful when we are processing and releasing these emotions.
Both our personalised and group retreats are a powerful way to accelerate the breaking of addictions as all band-aids are removed and you are supported in a nurturing environment to process and let go of what’s been holding you back.