Living a Life Free from Dependency: Letting Go Unhealthy, Unsustainable, Toxic Habits
We all have guilty pleasures, there’s certainly no denying that. Whether it’s going shopping, eating sweet treats, binge watching TV, or having two cups of coffee per day, initially it seems harmless. However, when those guilty pleasures become a must-have routine in our daily lives above all others, it quickly becomes a habit which then leads to dependency. When you become dependent on unhealthy, unsustainable, toxic habits, you become enslaved instead of free.
How to Live a Life Free from Dependency
[Tweet “Dependency: Coming to terms with your bad habits is the first step…”]Coming to Terms
Coming to terms with your bad habits is the first step. Habits are formed in the mind and it isn’t until we change our minds that we are able to change our behavior. It can take time to come to terms with toxic behaviors or dependencies you may have when it seems harmless.
For instance, you may not see the harm in eating fast food every day for dinner, but in a year you could end up with serious health issues. So, before you can live free from dependency, you must first come to terms with it and how it impacts you in the long run.
Common Bad Habits to Break
Which bad habits could you have become dependent on? Some of these may surprise you:
· Using Pain Medication
Those who develop a dependency on opiates don’t realize this is a bad habit. Instructed by medical professionals to take when in pain, patients sometimes overdo it and end up developing a dependency on painkillers. Seeking help from one of the many credible outpatient drug treatment programs available is ideal in this case to prevent the bad habit from turning into a full-blown addiction.
· Binge Watching TV
We’ve all been guilty of binge watching a show we like. However, sitting in front of a TV or computer screen for hours at a time can wreak havoc on your health. Sitting for a long time can result in the increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Binge watching also takes up a lot of your time and can quickly become an addiction. It’s a good idea to minimize your screen time to improve your health instead of being enslaved to the television all weekend.
· Relationships
Are there people in your life that are toxic for you yet you continue to surround yourself with them? This is a bad habit that many people commit daily. It can be hard to let go of a relationship if you really care about the person, but if it is causing you to act out of character, think less of yourself, or if the relationship is nothing more than verbal or physical abuse it’s time to let go of this unhealthy habit. Removing yourself from people who are negative can greatly reduce your stress and improve your outlook on life.
· Coffee
Millions of Americans drink coffee every day. It’s like fuel for humans. While having a cup of joe here and there might not harm you, consuming too much caffeine is no good for your health. It can lead to headaches, jitters, the inability to sleep, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, upset stomach, and digestive issues. Switching to herbal or detox teas is a great way to remove toxins from the body and improve your health while still getting the energy boost you need each day.
· Eating Meat
Although meat has a lot of great benefits, more and more Americans are finding that less meat in their diets can help to improve their overall health. If you love chowing down on large amounts of meat with each meal, you may want to kick this unhealthy habit. Meat takes longer to digest and is often loaded with fillers, preservatives, and additives that can harm the body.
You don’t have to become a vegan, but taking meat out of the equation for a few meals each week can produce impressive results.
Not all unhealthy, toxic habits seem bad when you start, but after awhile, it becomes a necessity in your life increasing your dependency. Living enslaved to things like coffee, drugs, alcohol, meat, toxic relationships, and TV is never fun in the long run. Rather than wait for these habits to become addictions, start making small steps towards change.
For those who need help kicking bad habits, talk with a medical professional such as a doctor, therapist, or nutritionist for guidance.
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. Their answers can be random and in the moment or they can be aligned with the above article. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.
1. What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? What are you still working on accepting?
That we have to all appreciate the little things and to not take anything for granted.
2. What have you learn to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? What are you still working on to appreciate within yourself and/or life?
I’m blessed to have loving family and friends in my life.
3. What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? And what makes YOU most proud? Any goals and dreams that you still have?
Graduating from Arizona State University in 2013
4. We all have imperfections, so we think. The truth–we are all perfectly imperfect. What imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
Nobody’s perfect and it’s been hard to accept it. I’ve learned to embrace my curly hair, my curves and my quirky personality.
5. “I Love My…” is an outlet for you to express and appreciate all the positive traits that make you…well… YOU! Sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (we assure you!) Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?”
I love my unwavering intensity. Everything I do is 100 percent.
Featured photo by Austin Schmid
