Identifying Energy-Draining Toxic Habits
Have you ever felt inexplicably drained, even after a good night’s sleep? If so, your daily habits might be the culprit.
Yes, you heard right – certain toxic habits can silently suck away your energy, leaving you feeling lethargic and unproductive. 🫠
These habits, while seemingly harmless, may be silently wreaking havoc on your physical and mental well-being. In this blog post, we’ll explore these energy-draining toxic habits and provide strategies on how to break away from them.
Often, these toxic habits are so deeply ingrained in our daily routines that we fail to identify them as the root cause of our constant fatigue. 😫
From incessant worrying to unhealthy eating, these habits can slyly infiltrate our lives, causing us to lose precious energy. The first step towards regaining your vitality is identifying these habits and acknowledging the need for change.
Remember, the goal here is not to shame or blame, but to bring awareness to these habits, so we can make informed decisions about our behaviors and lifestyles. By recognising these toxic habits, we open the door to a healthier, more vibrant life. 🥰
The Silent Threat of Negative Self-Talk
Negative self-talk is a toxic habit that can significantly drain your energy. The harmful effects of this habit are often underestimated, as it occurs within the privacy of our own minds.
Negative self-talk includes any inner dialogue that diminishes your self-worth or ability. These are the critical voices in your head that tell you that you’re not good enough, smart enough, or capable enough. 😰
The energy costs of negative self-talk are immense. Every negative thought depletes your energy reserves, leaving you feeling mentally and emotionally exhausted.
What’s more, negative self-talk can rob you of your motivation, making it challenging to pursue your goals or engage in activities you enjoy. 🫠
Combatting negative self-talk requires conscious effort. It involves being aware of your inner dialogue, challenging negative thoughts, and replacing them with positive affirmations. Remember, your mind believes what you tell it. So, fill it with positive, empowering thoughts.
The Energy Costs of Procrastination
Procrastination, the act of delaying or postponing tasks, is another toxic habit that can drain your energy. The energy drain from procrastination is twofold.
Firstly, the anxiety and guilt associated with procrastination can cause mental fatigue. Secondly, the energy required to rush through tasks at the last minute can lead to physical exhaustion. 😴
Procrastination often stems from a fear of failure or a lack of motivation. It’s essential to identify the root cause of your procrastination and address it head-on.
Breaking tasks down into manageable chunks and setting realistic deadlines can help overcome this habit. Remember, productivity fuels energy. The more tasks you complete, the more energised you’ll feel. 💪
The Trap of Perfectionism
Perfectionism, or the need to be flawless in everything you do, is another toxic habit that can deplete your energy.
While striving for excellence is commendable, an unrelenting pursuit of perfection can lead to stress, burnout, and decreased productivity. The constant pressure to be perfect can leave you feeling mentally exhausted and physically drained. 😥
The key to overcoming perfectionism lies in embracing imperfection.
Realise that it’s okay to make mistakes and that no one is perfect. NO ONE. Even if they’re life seems perfect from the outside, it never is. Learn to appreciate your efforts and stop comparing your progress with others. Remember, progress, not perfection, is the goal. 😉
The Harm Caused by Excessive Worrying
While it’s natural to worry about life’s uncertainties, constant worrying can lead to anxiety and stress, which are significant energy zappers.
Additionally, worrying can disrupt your sleep, further depleting your energy reserves. 😴
To combat excessive worrying, try practicing mindfulness and relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation. These practices can help calm your mind and reduce your stress levels, thereby conserving your energy.
You can learn more about mindfulness and meditation in The Keys to Self-Mastery eBook
The Cost of Holding onto Grudges
Holding onto grudges is another toxic habit that can drain your energy and time. Harbouring resentment or anger towards others can lead to emotional exhaustion. Also, it can rob you of your peace of mind and happiness, leaving you feeling drained. 😒
To break free from this habit, practice forgiveness and let go of past hurts. Remember, holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. By forgiving others, you free yourself from the burden of resentment, thereby conserving your energy.
You don’t need to continue to talk to them or have them in your life if it’s going to affect your peace. Leave them where they are and move on. 🚶♀️
The Burden of Not Setting Boundaries
Not setting boundaries is another toxic habit that can drain your energy. Without boundaries, you can easily become overwhelmed with responsibilities and commitments, leading to burnout.
Moreover, allowing others to overstep your boundaries can lead to feelings of resentment and frustration, further draining your energy and time. 😑
To establish healthy boundaries, learn to say no when necessary and prioritize your needs. Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup.
By setting boundaries, you protect your energy and ensure that you have enough left to take care of yourself. 🥰
The Price of Unhealthy Eating Habits
Unhealthy eating habits are another major drain on your energy. Consuming processed foods, sugary snacks, and caffeinated beverages can give you a quick energy boost, but they often lead to an energy crash later. 😴
These foods lack the essential nutrients your body needs to function optimally, leading to fatigue and lethargy.
To boost your energy levels, focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods that provide sustained energy, like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. 🥗
Remember, your diet is a crucial part of your energy equation. By making healthier food choices, you can significantly increase your energy levels.
The Impact of Lack of Physical Activity
Lack of physical activity is another toxic habit that can make you feel like bluh. Regular exercise boosts your energy levels by increasing your heart rate and circulation, improving your sleep, and reducing your stress levels. 😌
On the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle can lead to fatigue, poor sleep, and decreased motivation.
To increase your energy levels, incorporate regular physical activity into your routine. This could be anything from a brisk walk to a high-intensity workout. Remember, movement is energy. 🤸♀️
The more active you are, the more energised you’ll feel. So make it a habit to get up and move daily!
Strategies for Breaking Away from Toxic Habits
Breaking away from toxic habits can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. The first step is to identify the habits that are draining your energy.
Once you’ve identified these habits, you can start working on strategies to overcome them. These strategies can include practicing positive self-talk, setting realistic goals, learning to manage stress, practicing forgiveness, setting healthy boundaries, maintaining a balanced diet, and incorporating regular physical activity into your routine. 🥰
P.S. You can find worksheets to help you with all of the above in my Etsy Store and the Printables on my site.
Remember, breaking away from toxic habits is a journey, not a destination. It requires patience, perseverance, and commitment. But the rewards are well worth the effort.
By freeing yourself from these energy-draining habits, you open the door to a healthier, more invigorated life. 🥹
Conclusion: Embracing Positive Habits for an Energy-Full Life
In conclusion, we all have toxic habits that can drain our energy. However, by identifying these habits and working on strategies to overcome them, we can break free from their hold and reclaim our energy.
Remember, the goal is not to be perfect, but to be better. Every small step you take towards breaking these habits counts. So, start today, and embrace the journey towards an energy-full life. ❤️
Pin this post for a reminder 📌 👇
Related Blog
Things to Say “No” to for you to Live a Happier Life
“If you want to change your life you have to raise your standards”
Tony Robbins
Do you know what it means to raise your standards & what it takes to do so, so that you can live a life that you can look back on and say “Damn! I did that”?
No?
Well, keep reading Sis.
How you’re currently living your life is a reflection of the standards you hold for yourself at this very moment. They are the SET behaviours that you regularly choose to do all the time.
Sadly, a lot of people say “I SHOULD” do this a lot more than they say “I MUST” do this. There’s an endless list of all the things you SHOULD do in your life to make it better, but usually, it gets left to slip through the cracks and be forgotten about. When you make something a MUST in your life you will be willing to cut off any liabilities and distractions that will get in the way of you succeeding and will 100% find a way or make a way to get there. No excuses made.
High standards are what separates high achievers from everybody else. If you have high standards, you are more likely to achieve the goals you set out for yourself, this is because with every goal comes a certain set of requirements that you have to meet in order to achieve it. These requirements are reflected in the personal standards you uphold in relation to that goal.
When you have high standards you have a higher expectation of yourself, you are naturally willing to do more than the average person, which subsequently raises your standards of performance.
Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom in order to feel that you have to shift your should into a must. Maybe you said “I really should make more money” then a couple of months pass and you experience some hardship on the way and you realise that you’re left with £1.09p in your bank account with no savings, in debt up to your eyeballs and about to lose your flat. A situation like this can finally make you think enough is enough and convince you to make lasting drastic changes to the standards you hold to yourself.
Finally acknowledging that something must change is an essential first step to change. The change won’t be easy as there’s no quick way to change your current beliefs. Just how it took time to create them (both good and bad) it will take time to build new ones. Even if you try to fake it for a while you will eventually go back to your core limiting beliefs. Rushing internal work will never work.
Jim Rhon: “The things easy to do are also not easy to do” – In Layman’s terms, the things you should do are things that are easy to do, hence why you don’t do them.
Your appearance: Are you happy with your weight? Are you happy with the condition of your skin?( If it’s in your control of course)
Finances: Do you pay your bills on time? Does your salary reflect the value you give to your employer? What does your spending habits look like?
Relationships: How do you allow others to treat you? Do you allow people to not treat you how you deserve?
Accomplishments: How often do you achieve the goals that you set? Are you currently settling for an average life because you don’t think you can achieve more?
Your appearance, how much money you make, what your current relationships look like right now and your accomplishments are all examples of your current standards for yourself. Having low standards will only take you so far in your journey towards living your best life. With low standards, you will struggle to put in the energy and find the resources needed to achieve what you want in life and subsequently you will end up with sub-par results. When you raise your standards you raise your expectations of yourself and from the people around you.
Where does the motivation come from?
To raise your standards you need to have a strong WHY. In other words, what is your reasoning to raise your standards? For example, saying you want to lose weight because everyone you know is trying to lose weight isn’t a strong enough reason. However, saying you want to lose weight so that you can live a longer, healthier life and see your children grow up and be there for them is a prime example, as the reason resonates with you personally, meaning you’re more likely to stick with it.
In order to raise your standards, the first step you would need to do is ask yourself “What are my standards right now?” What are you allowing to happen in your life? Sometimes we fall victim to letting ourselves off the hook because we set ourselves goals that never become a need.
Additional questions to ask yourself:
> What will I accept and no longer accept of myself?
> What standards do I have for the roles that I play in life (Parent, friend, Partner etc)
> Did I set these standards myself?
> Given the goals that I would like to achieve are my current standards hindering me in any way?
> Are my current standards getting in the way of me developing in any of the 8 core areas of my life?
The biggest reason people hate commitment is that when you commit to something (especially when you commit to other people) you HAVE to deliver. When you settle for just “trying your best” you give yourself lower expectations, making it “alright” if you don’t follow through with it because you gave it your “best shot”.
You’re unlikely to ever sink below your standards but how far are you willing to rise above them?
Raise your standards in these 4 areas of your life to help drastically improve the way you live:
Health
Improving the state of your health is so important. Being healthy isn’t all about drinking green juices and eating kale 7 days a week. Imagine being energetic in the morning, ready to take on the world with a spring in your step and a smile on your face. Raise your standards on how much sleep you get, how well you take care of your body and how well you eat and it will take care of you.
Your Focus
Distraction is the absolute worst, it steals both your time and energy – your two greatest assets. Be more focused on what you want, every minute, every hour, and every day. Bring your awareness to this very moment right now. What do you want to be experiencing and doing? Being more focused allows you to be more conscious of your surroundings and make it easy to spot distractions.
Relationships
As much as talking to new people and creating new friendship groups are awesome it’s important to be careful with who you spend your time with. Who you socialise with will have a great impact on what kind of life you would like to have.
As Jim Rhon once said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”.
Attitudes are contagious, be really picky with who you invest your time in. Your friends should shower you with support, exude positivity and have ambition.
Nobody’s perfect and everyone has bad days and flaws, learn to accept them if you feel that you both will help each other grow and are compatible with each other. When you free yourself from negative people, you are free to be you.
Mindset
Healthy thoughts = Healthy actions. If you want to put quality thoughts into your mind you must create an environment that outputs positive energy.
If you raise the standard of your mindset you will be mentally strong enough to deal with failures and setbacks allowing you to conquer anything you put your mind to.
What happens when you commit to keeping your standards high:
> You increase your sense of self-efficacy
> You begin to believe in yourself more because you’re starting to achieve the goals you set yourself
> You attract more opportunities because you have more clarity behind your actions
> You become more self-aware of your current reality, allowing you to make clear and conscious decisions on your next step
> A higher chance of succeeding at anything you want
When you take steps towards becoming an enhanced version of yourself, you ensure an increased level of confidence, self-respect and self-discipline.
When you’re committed to being all in, you will see through whatever you set out for yourself no matter what obstacles or bumps happen along the way. Your high standards and WILL to succeed in your goals and objectives will be the motivation needed for you to continue on your journey.
Take away,
You don’t get what you WANT in life. You get what you TOLERATE. Once you raise your standards, your life will rise to meet them.
No longer will settling be part of the norm. You will achieve ALL of your Plan A’s because Plan B’s are for people who aren’t willing to sacrifice and give up who they currently are for who they need to be.
This is the year of the breakthrough. Act like it.
Remember: Obstacles will equal opportunities to grow.
Heather’s top tip: Demand excellence from yourself. You’re a force of nature that deserves nothing but the best. Never give up and most of all raise your standards and never settle.
Related blogs:
How to improve your life one day at a time
The ultimate guide for coping with change
How to build lasting self-esteem
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