How to stop bad habits addictions Contents - 3-minute read

• Inform - Replace your bad habits with new positive ones

• Motivate - Give Kayaking a try

• Senior Kayaking Feats

There are some habits that we repeatedly do, although they have a negative impact on us and we know it. They might waste our time, be bad for our health or have an impact on our finances, yet we revisit the same habit over and over. Let’s explore how we can have a positive impact on our experience by choosing to replace a bad habit with something that serves us better.

• Notice our triggers There are certain situations or activities that always lead us into a negative habit. A morning cup of tea inevitably has you reaching for the biscuit tin, when you swore you would lose weight. That weekly meet-up with your friend means you will smoke 5 cigarettes although you aimed to quit. Being self-aware and knowing what leads you towards your negative habit means you are well on your way to waving it goodbye

• Plan a replacement - Replacing an unwanted habit with a more fruitful one, means you are more likely to succeed over the long term. Try and be creative when planning how to change your ways. Switching your morning tea to a herbal one might mean the chocolate biscuit does not compliment the new drink and a handful of nuts are a better bet. Arranging a brisk walk with your friend instead of cigarettes and chat means you both benefit from exercise and still enjoy each other’s company

• Hold yourself accountable - telling your spouse/friend that you have planned to replace a poor choice with a better one, shows you mean business. You may inspire them to join you, or at the very least, they will check on your progress which will spur you to success

• Ask yourself questions - Rather than comparing yourself to someone else, be prepared to ask yourself how you would act when you are tempted to revisit your old ways. If you are wanting to be more patient, remind yourself of a time when you were patient and ask yourself, “What would the more patient version of myself do in this scenario?”

• Visualize yourself succeeding - Lie back and see yourself in your mind’s eye, making the preferred choice and enjoying the life that you want for yourself. The more you practice this, the better you become.

• Prepare for slip-ups - Changing die-hard habits takes time and commitment. If you find yourself slipping up then don’t be hard on yourself, just reaffirm the direction you want to head into and get back on track

Wednesday's exercises focus on balance reactions to help keep you on your feet. This week we use the wall for support while practicing one-leg standing. Give it a try.

We all need some inspiration to keep us motivated. Kayaking is a low-impact sport that still packs a punch. It is a great way to tone up the arms, abdominals, and chest while working the heart and lungs. You will need strength, poise, and balance to move you through the water. Kayaking is an outside sport, so you are likely to enjoy stellar views which will boost your mental health too. Kayaking doesn’t have to be in a one-man boat, if you are inexperienced, you can get started with a partner to help you on your way.

If you want to consider kayaking but don't know where to start then click the link below to set you in the right direction

The oldest man to successfully kayak across an ocean was Alekzander Doba from Poland who, at age 70 years covered 2905 nautical miles as he set off from New York, USA to Le Conquet, France. The journey took him 110 days and he set the record in 2017.

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