It’s interesting how many of us tend to categorize habits into both good and bad. At times, it feels like it’s really clear what a good or bad habit can actually be. For instance, people will say that exercising on a regular basis is a good habit and that smoking is a bad habit. There’s really no argument here; exercising is good for our body and smoking is bad for our body.
However, there are always going to be outlying cases.
For example, Jeanne Calment lived to be 122 years old and she smoked for at least a hundred of those years. This is likely due to a combination of different factors, but it certainly goes against what we’re usually taught about smoking lowering our life expectancy. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should smoke, but it does show that habits affect us in many different ways.
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Good habits might end up being bad habits
One of the troubling things about a good habit is that it can actually turn into a bad one. For example, someone might develop a bad habit of eating the same foods for a very long time, resulting in a lack of a balanced diet or getting no enjoyment from food because they’re so used to eating just enough to fill their nutritional needs and no more.
Some morning habits can start as healthy changes to your diet, but they could turn into bland samey meals every day because you’re just used to it. This lack of creativity and variety can actually cause depression and may even affect your ability to cook different meals.
Some people even get anxious because they don’t want to try something new. It sounds strange, but it’s one way that good habits can turn into bad habits.
Turning bad habits into something you can enjoy once in a while
Everyone loves to indulge in something once in a while. Whether it’s binging on video games or marathoning an entire drama series, it’s definitely not healthy for us but it can give us some time to relax and unwind. This is the same for people that smoke, drink alcohol, or snack on unhealthy foods. We all want to enjoy ourselves once in a while and that sometimes means indulging in a bad habit.
But if you want to turn those bad habits into a guilty pleasure, then it’s a good idea to find something that is at least high-quality, meaningful, or long-lasting. For example, you could consider cigars from Cheap Little Cigars instead of cigarettes if you want to smoke.
People often prefer them for their flavor profile and they can usually be seen as luxury gifts if you get something expensive. This is a great alternative to smoking and can be something you enjoy once in a while as a reward.
Allowing yourself to indulge in a bad habit can help you explore different kinds of habits and experiences in the world. It teaches you to be more adventurous and to accept that it’s fine to have guilty pleasures to help you relax and enjoy yourself.