quitting your vice to better yourself
Have you ever felt like you had an addiction?
And yes, I know addiction is a scary word. But really think about it.
Maybe it’s alcohol, weed, coffee, television, fast food, etc. that helps you wind down and distract yourself from tough days (that slowly turn into every day.)
Other examples of vices could be more emotional or abstract, such as constant jealousy, overindulgence or greed. It could even be social media addiction or overspending.
There are so many things that you can be addicted to that don’t serve or benefit you. In fact, chances are if you’re here, your vice is something you want to quit or are tired of running your life.
I get it. I have my own personal vices that I try to quit and then get sucked back in. But here’s to new mornings and new chances. Here’s to new opportunities and fresh faith in yourself that you can let go of the things you want to.
While optimism is great, it’s also nice to have a plan on how to quit your addictions. So here’s some tips to let go of your negative vices to better yourself and prioritize your self love over them.
how to quit your vices
Quitting an addiction definitely isn’t easy. It takes real discipline and constant moments of ignoring what your body and mind is telling you it wants. The first step, of course, is realizing you have a problem.
No one wants to admit they’re addicted to something, especially something that’s seen as bad in society’s eyes. It’s hard to admit you’re an alcoholic or addicted to drugs, but it’s a very real situation that many of us face.
Addictions are not pretty, and they are not quirky. But they are very real, and self love is also very real. If you want to better yourself, start by admitting your problem, or at least admitting you want to make a change in your life.
Then make a game plan, identify triggers, take breaks and let go of addictions for your own sake.
make a game plan
So to slowly wean yourself off? Or to go cold turkey?… decisions, decisions, decisions.
When you realize you have a problem abusing your vice, it can be easy to say that you want to, or even plan on quitting. What’s not easy is actually doing it, or making a first step in the right direction.
If you want to reduce your usage or how often you do a certain thing, maybe create a calendar so you can track yourself and make sure you’re actually weaning off. Maybe it looks like setting time limits for social media, or amount limits for how much coffee you drink in a week.
There are several ways to reduce how much you partake in your vice, but you have to make sure you’re really being intentional.
You can also decide to go cold turkey. This is more effective for me because the lines become so blurred when I give myself too much wiggle room. Quitting cold turkey is hard, and there can definitely be withdrawals that just suck.
But after the first couple days it gets easier. Then after a week or two, you might feel like shit, but you also have this feeling like it’s better to keep going then relapse.
It’s comforting to know that things will be better at the end of this, and you never want to experience the hardest parts of withdrawing again.
take breaks
I love doing Dry January because it’s a reset for me, and it’s not permanent. It’s not too daunting, and it’s not like I’m quitting forever.
Whatever your vice is, it’s healthy to take breaks – not only to remind yourself you can let this addiction go, but to also reset your body, mind, mental health, etc.
If you use your vice multiple times a day, try only going 24 hours without it. If it’s a once a day kind of deal, try making it a week (or even a month).
Take a break that makes sense for you, and try to pleasantly surprise yourself for how long you can go without it.
I understand it’s not easy to just take breaks from something you’re addicted to doing, but start small. Give yourself a chance to feel alive without any negative addictions. Give yourself a chance to prove to yourself that you can do hard things.
identify your triggers & reasoning
Explore what makes you reach for unhealthy food, press play on porn, light up a cigarette, etc.
What time of the day is it?
What kind of mood are you in?
What happened during your day?
How are your stress levels?
What makes you immediately want your vice?
Really think about it. It could be obvious. You could have a long day and want something to relax you. Or it could be something hidden that journaling or keeping track of habits and triggers can help you identify.
Leaning into your addictions could also just be second nature. It could be something you do to start or end your day, and you really haven’t put much thought into why not?
But I want you to take the time and explore why you partake and when. Explore what the benefits and costs are of the addiction. And what it contributes to your life as a whole.
self love daily planner
beyond being a daily organizer and self care planner, our journal is a guided self love experience aimed at promoting wellness and personal growth.
do it for yourself
Something I’ve personally learned as well is that breaking addictions can be performative.
Sometimes I want people to think I’m working on reducing how much I drink or eat fast food, but secretly doing it when they’re not around. And that’s so performative, and it can feel like I’m just wanting a gold star for my efforts.
Or maybe I do tell people because I want to have accountability and a good support system. But sometimes that backfires, and I’m not honest with them (or myself) with how I’m doing.
You have to let go of your vices for yourself. Even if you have people around you who are supporting you or pushing you to make changes in your life, you have to ultimately want to change as well.
Otherwise, you’re more vulnerable to breaking it if you’re no longer on good terms with this person, or more likely to hide it behind their backs in general.
what to remember as you quit your vices
You’re making real life changes, and that’s not something to take lightly.
You should be really proud of yourself for even acknowledging that you want to better your life, let alone seeking information and finding motivation to help you do it.
It can be embarrassing to ask for help or admit your shortcomings, but we’re all human. We all have vices and addictions. But we’re not all strong to admit what they are and actively work toward making positive and healthy changes.
Keep going, and remember that relapses and “failures” don’t mean you should stop trying. They are a part of many, many people’s journeys, including mine.
I’m not perfect, and I’m okay with that. I’m okay with continuing to try when I fall down, but still giving it my all the next time. And I hope you share a similar mindset.
