How do we avoid bad habits? All of us have been through trying to make a bad habit go away. Some are merely annoying, and others have the power to really hurt us. Most of us struggle with probably one habit we do over and over that we despise but are stuck with, regardless of the high cost. Whether it is too much TV or drinking too much, we do not fully own our lives.

The easiest defense to avoid bad habits seems so straight forward as to be silly, but this is it. Don't start! Each day of our lives we confront countless choices, and with lots of of those choices we are given an opportunity to avoid the beginning of a bad habit. The power to make a life affirming choice comes from self love and self respect and often, respect for others.

As a a child you may have come up in an environment that taught you that you were bad, or unlovable, or not valuable. If such is true for you, then it is essential to do all that is possible to heal your self esteem and find appreciation for yourself, however you are able. If you are have children in your care, it is a golden chance to instill in them sturdy self worth so they will be strong enough to resist the choices that lead to bad habits.

Many of the most risky habits can be avoided altogether, if the strength to make a positive choice is strong. Such as smoking. Tobacco is not a substances the body needs and it is smart to just never start. Strong self respect provides the authority to say no to the peer pressure around it. The same can be said of drinking to excess. If these habits have already been established, then self love and the desire to be in control of your life leads to finding the support you need to take back your life from these bad habits.

What about anger management in relationships? Habitually indulging in conflict, or a habit of screaming, needs to be supplanted with good for you habits. Be taught new coping skills,such as taking some deep breaths, going for a walk for a cool down before discussing the problem. There are many self help books providing guidance to clean up bad habits in relationships.. Second hand stores have lots of good books for a song.

Who you spend time with has a big effect. In replacing bad habits with good, it may have to summon the courage to stop associating with others who have the same behaviors, and also avoiding situations where those habits will be triggered.