I’ve been longer than usual in posting due to an unavoidable situation that will be resolving soon. In the meantime, I have a guest post here. In writing for the paper, I’ve covered stories occasionally of women who have come through the trauma of domestic violence. Abby Holt, the guest blogger, is also familiar with such cases, and while it is an intense topic, her points have application to those who may be facing major changes for other reasons.
The Key to Using Major Life Transitions to Your Advantage
Going through major life transitions is a fantastic opportunity to change things up, start fresh, and replace bad habits with positive ones. Taking on a new job, moving to a different area, and other transitions are challenging, but they can also help us realize our true potential. Below, Abby Holt of Craftability explores five major life transitions that you can leverage as a domestic violence survivor to nix bad habits and adopt good ones.
Take Stock of Your Bad Habits
Before you can begin replacing your bad habits, you must first take the time to understand what they are. CoughPro suggests starting by making a list of every bad habit you can think of and the situations or triggers that lead to them. Then, you can develop a plan to overcome them.
Leave Toxic Relationships
Relationships do a lot to shape our behavior, both positively and negatively. That’s why it’s essential to take a close look at the people in your life if you’re trying to break a bad habit.
Say, for example, you’re surrounded by people who engage in the same negative behaviors or enable your bad habits. In that case, it’s time to reevaluate. Leaving toxic relationships can be hard, but it’s a major life transition that can help you cut out negative habits and adopt positive ones.
Reexamine What You Put in Your Body
The old saying is true: we really are what we eat. So what you put in your body can make a big difference in how you feel. Relying on fast food and sugary drinks is a common vice that you can address by seeking out farmers markets and restaurants that serve whole foods.
If you drink several cups of coffee or espresso beverages a day in order to stay energized, take a look at the amounts of caffeine in each drink and cut back. You may be surprised by how much caffeine you’re actually consuming. And caffeine is both a stimulant and a diuretic, so too much can affect your sleep (hello self-perpetuating cycle) and dehydrate you.
Become Your Own Boss
Owning a business allows you to take control of your work environment and create an atmosphere that supports your mission to change your habits. It’s also an excellent opportunity to establish a fresh, healthy lifestyle for building something from the ground up! You can even simplify your passion project by leveraging online resources to streamline the startup process. There are services that can help with legal paperwork, name selection, and other important aspects of starting a business.
Further, you can also use online resources to research your competition, identify a potential customer base, and develop a marketing strategy. Doing so will accelerate your startup process and help set you up for success.
Moving to a Different City
Along with presenting the opportunity to break bad habits and adopt positive ones more easily, relocating can give you the chance to change your environment and start a new chapter in your life. Maybe you end up finding a new, more fulfilling job. Training & eTracking Solutions points out that a simple change of scenery can do wonders for your mental health. When it comes to overcoming bad habits, few actions are more effective than moving away.
Making Healthier Choices
Times of transition are an opportunity to make healthier choices. For instance, if you move to a city with excellent outdoor recreation opportunities, you might find that you naturally adopt healthier habits. Or if you relocate somewhere that has more walk-friendly areas, you might find yourself walking more than driving. New routines and environments also allow us to establish new habits more quickly than we would in the day-to-day lives we’re used to.
Embrace the Changes
As difficult as they may be, major life transitions provide you with a chance to take stock of your life and replace the habits you’ve been wanting to replace. Exiting toxic relationships, taking on a new career, making healthy decisions, and relocating are a few of the many waves to improve your quality of life.
Change can be scary, but it can also be thoroughly rewarding. Take this opportunity to start fresh and create the life you’ve always wanted. Approach your next transition with the right mindset, and incorporate positive habits into your routine!
End of post.
