Some of us make New Year’s resolutions each year just to find out that in a very short period of time, we have not been able to keep them. Out of the 45% of us who actually make these resolutions, only 8% of us keep them for 6 months or more. Why is this? I believe that sometimes our resolutions are just not realistic and tend to take additional time that many of us just don’t think we have.
The top 5 resolutions for 2014 were: 1. Losing weight, 2. Getting Organized, 3. Spending less and saving more, 4. Enjoying life to the fullest, 5. Staying fit and healthy.
I would like to suggest an alternative to the normal resolutions many of us make each new year. I suggest that we take what we are working on in Choi Kwang Do (other than our martial arts techniques), like how to set positive goals and strive to achieve them, and put them into practice this year. I suggest that we focus more on some of the “bad” habits that we have. Let’s try to give these up, or at least set a goal to greatly reduce them in the year 2014. Being Martial Artists, we should also look for ways to help those around us as well. Take a look at your friends and family. Are there “bad” habits that are hurting them that you could help encourage them along the journey to get rid of them? Accountability partners and support partners are so important when we try to achieve our goals. If we all work together, we can all become healthier, more productive, happier members in society. So let’s take a couple of minutes to look at some of the worst and most dangerous habits people tend to have and set a goal to rid ourselves of these habits and help others to as well.
So what are some of the worst habits people have and how can we quit them?
- Snacking constantly or eating too much fast food.
When we snack constantly we tend to lose track of our body’s natural hunger signals which can lead to over eating and obesity. If you are snacking on unhealthy junk food, this can even exasperate this more. Fast food had become a staple of today’s families with so much to do and so little time and because of the convenience it gives. Unfortunately, most of these foods are oversized and can help lead to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. So how do we break these habits? Eat only until you are no longer hungry. Eat for the right reasons—not stress, boredom, anger, or sadness. Replace junky snack food with healthy fruits and vegetables. For fast food, begin making wiser choices, salads instead of burger and fries. Try preparing extra meals on the weekends so that they can be heated up on a busier weeknight. Try packing sandwiches or salads if you have to be on the go to eat.
- Smoking
As far as health goes, no popular habit on Earth is as harmful. This one bad habit causes 30% of heart disease deaths, 30% of cancer death, and a massive 80-90% of all lung cancers. This habit also raises your chances of heat attack, stroke and high blood pressure. These are some of the statistics for first hand smoke (damage done to the individual who personally is smoking). Outside from the hazards of personally smoking, when someone smokes, they put the health of others in great danger as well. Second hand smoke is that which is breathed in by someone not personally smoking. Here are some statistics: 126 million nonsmoking Americans are exposed to second hand smoke Second hand smoke causes nearly 50,000 deaths in adult nonsmokers in the U.S. each year. The risk of potential lung cancer increases 10% and heart disease is increased 5% just by being exposed to second hand smoke. The risks go even further to third hand smoke. Third hand smoke is tobacco smoke contamination that remains once a cigarette has been extinguished. It leaves a cocktail of toxins in carpets, sofas, clothes and other materials it has come in contact with. It can actually desorb off a surface and end up back in the air to be inhaled by those around. Now for the good news! Lungs and the cardiovascular system can begin repairing itself within minutes from the last cigarette smoked. Smokers have the opportunity to make such an amazing change in their lives as well as those around them!! Since smoking is an addiction, this means that it will be hard to break, but with the help of friends, family, the medical community and a Pil Seung Spirit, it CAN be done!
- Stressing
When we are stressed or unhappy, a cascade of stress hormones increase blood pressure and blood sugar, lower immunity, slow digestion , and make you feel downright mean. We are created to have stress, but this should be short-lived and saved for threatening situations, not a long-term lifestyle. Those who live life in a state of stress also tend to become overweight and have a increased risk for heart disease and diabetes. We should be looking to bring more joy into our lives. Getting active (ie. Activities like Choi Kwang Do) can help reduce stress levels. Relaxing with a loved hobby can also help. Deep breathing can even help in times of stress. Again, this is a time for help from friends and family as sometimes just talking things out can help!
- Drinking too much alcohol
Overdrinking on a regular basis is very dangerous as alcohol is a poison when drunk in excess. Everyone has their own idea on what is too much, but medically speaking, it is said that women who regularly drink 2 or more drinks per day and men who regularly drink 3 or more per day run a much greater risk for liver damage, various cancers including that of the liver and mouth, high blood pressure, and depression. Excess alcohol can also cause heart disease, brittle bones and even memory loss. The good news here is that as soon as you cut back or stop drinking many things improve. You are able to sleep more soundly. Your blood sugar lowers and becomes steadier. Your blood pressure begins to fall into more normal ranges. You memory loss will also bounce back. This habit is also one, like smoking, that can have very serious effects on others. Those who drink and drive run a much greater risk of having an accident and potentially killing an unsuspecting individual. Family relationships and friendships are also, many times, affected by the individual who is drinking too much as they are not capable of maintaining healthy relationships. Individuals should stick to healthy limits of drinking if drinking is even going to be an option. Try to reserve alcohol for meals rather than just to have a drink. Do not drink to get drunk or to escape some other hard issues in your life. Get help and support from others! Encourage and support others!
- Overspending
Believe it or not, money worries can have serious health consequences. Overspending, many times, leads to financial stress which contributes to high blood pressure, depression, insomnia, headaches, digestive troubles, aches and pains, ulcers, excessive drinking or smoking, and gaining or losing too much weight. Spending money should never be used as an escape from reality. Many times, people have emotions that are bothering them, so they go and purchase things to make themselves “happy”, but in the long run, this usually backfires. Having control of your finances and not being in debt to others brings so much freedom in the lives of those who are able to live this way. If emergencies come up, they are not emergencies because the money is there. Those who have better control of their finances are able to help those less fortunate than themselves and receive the blessings that come with helping others. There are many ways to have better control of your money. If this is an area that you struggle in, try to go shopping with a list of the necessities and only get what is on the list. Avoid the shopping channels and infomercials that can tempt you as well. Getting rid of credit cards can also help you to not spend more than you currently have. Create a budget and stick to it. Prioritize your credit bills based on the interest rates and pay off those with the highest rates first. Enrolling in a money management programs such as Dave Ramsey’s Money Makeover can also give you good advice and accountability to help you break this habit.
Again, I would like to encourage you to look at your own life, find those “bad” habits that you may be holding on to, and make a game plan and goal to get rid of (or at the least reduce) these habits and replace them with good, healthy, and helpful habits. Together we can do this! Help others be accountable and allow others to help you be accountable as well.
PIL SEUNG!!!!!