Bad Habits

📅 16 Nov 2021

Why do bad habits die so hard?

I’ve been asking myself that a lot lately. For November, I have undertaken several challenges, one of which is to address some bad habits I’ve developed in the past few months. After starting out 2021 on a fresh slate and really getting some good momentum going for positive life change, the past few months have been somewhat rough.

At the same time, I have started to spend more and more late nights staring at my phone and computer. This has affected my sleep which in turn has affected my mood and general health.

Part of me thinks I’m just weak-willed. But I’ve met way too many people who are either very similar to me in that their bad habits die hard, or, too many others who are clearly being blatantly dishonest with themselves.

Not everyone has an easy life. A lot of people don’t. In general, however, I think if you live in the global west, particularly in the United States, we have gotten way too accustomed to everything being handed to us.

And I am the worst offender. While I have certainly taken steps to make my life less “easy”, I daily struggle with wanting, even demanding, to have everything given to me. From getting frustrated if my coffee takes too long to prepare to boiling anger if the grocery store is out of something I “need”, I am, frankly, a weak creature. I probably wouldn’t last more than a few days if I had to fend for myself.

Now, I’ll get off my soap-box and say that I say how easy are lives are is exactly what makes bad habits die hard. We are not used to having to press through a tough time or to work hard to achieve a goal. That’s why I find it incredibly difficult to do something as simple as putting my phone down after 9pm and not touching it.

This year has been good for me. I have pressed through a lot of hard things and have started to develop a little resiliency. But, just when I get a little confident, something new creeps up and I feel like I am back at square one. I am learning to embrace this process as it is the only way I have achieved any growth.

Sometimes life sucks. But you can almost always press through, help someone, learn a new skill, develop a new good habit.

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