Routine Practices Accounting for Nearly All Your Discomfort: An In-depth Look at Common Habits Contributing to Most Sufferings
Ditch those daily habits that are stealing joy from your life and causing you pain! These seven harmful behaviors are sneaky, developing over time without you even realizing it – but we're here to help you shake them off.
- Binge Scrolling the Slaughterhouse (aka Doom Scrolling). Scrolling endlessly through negative news and social media taking in all the drama and sadness is doing more harm than good. You tell yourself you're protecting yourself, but the truth is you feel worse and it's time to take control.
Break the Cycle: Set boundaries for your media consumption. Know when you're going to stay away completely, like when you wake up or wind down. Give yourself time limits and pay attention to how you're feeling throughout the scrolling session. Have a plan of action when things start to feel overwhelming, such as opening your favorite book or calling a good friend.
- Hopping into Other People's Drama Boats. Getting caught up in the troubles, thoughts, or actions of others can consume your energy and leave you feeling drained.
Set Sail: Notice how your body responds when confronted with the drama-drum beat, and ask yourself what your intentions are before reacting. Evaluate if your planned actions will lead to the desired outcome. Delay your reaction, observe the situation, and see what happens when you do nothing – let your intuition guide you.
- Drowning in the Sea of Guilt and Regret. Refusing to move on from past mistakes or negative feelings only robs you of precious moments in the present.
Reach for Hope instead of Drowning: Notice when you're spiraling and pen down what's bothering you, making the thoughts more tangible and manageable. Remind yourself that you've paid the price already and by holding onto guilt and regret, you're missing out on life's good parts. Banish the paper and let it go, literally and figuratively!
- Pleasing Everyone but Yourself. People-pleasing can lead to disappointment and burnout because you're not prioritizing your needs.
Prioritize You: Identify how pleasing others makes you feel, weigh that against the resentment and exhaustion that comes with it, and set boundaries to protect your time and energy. Practice saying "no" when you're not busy, focus on nurturing yourself to be more thoughtfully generous when and where it counts.
- Spreading Your Fears like Soot. Sometimes, you may judge others based on your past and worry about their choices. Instead, celebrate their victories rather than burden them with your fears.
Let There Be Light: Don't take their life choices personally, support them instead, and offer potential pitfalls and helpful advice when asked. Allow them the freedom to make their choices and trust in their path.
- The To-Do List Marathon Run. Overcommitting yourself to do one more thing, one more task, one more errand robs you of the present and a good night's sleep.
Cross the Finish Line: Establish a closing ritual to signal to yourself that it's time to stop – brush your teeth, clean the counters, or prepare for bedtime – something consistent and comforting. Write down your remaining to-dos and address them the next day, respecting your bedtime and nurturing yourself by getting a good night's sleep.
- Listening Ears for the Echo Chamber. Taking in too much advice, stories, and knowledge without giving yourself space to express your own thoughts can be overwhelming.
Discover the Sound Within: Take time out to focus on your own thoughts and ideas, away from any books, podcasts, or advice. What do you want to take action on? Tap into your inner well of wisdom and confidence.
- Instead of constantly absorbing negative health news and updates, engage in educational content related to health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, mental-health, or nutrition to promote personal growth and self-development.
- Limit exposure to the drama and troubles of others, focusing on cultivating your own education and self-development through books, courses, or workshops in areas like science or education-and-self-development.
- Replace the habit of dwelling on past mistakes by committing to a learning journey centered around personal growth or skills development.
- Choose to prioritize your own well-being over pleasing others in your decision-making process, and consider seeking guidance from mentors or self-help books that focus on personal growth and self-improvement.
- Practice mindfulness and introspection by taking breaks from outside influences and tuning into your own thoughts and feelings. This can promote mental health and overall well-being, regardless of the choices others make in their lives.
