Quitting a bad habit is hard. You are doing something for so long that you simply cannot imagine not doing it anymore. However, there is good news. In October, you are not the only one who tries to say bye to those old bad habits. October is all about quitting and about doing it in a community so you don’t have to fight it alone. Welcome your partner in crime, Stoptober.
Origins
Originally, Stoptober was launched in 2012 as a 28-day stop smoking challenge from Public Health England. Since 2012, many people following this challenge managed to stop smoking. If you are asking why only 28 days, it is because the research shows that if you won’t be doing something for 28 days, the possibility of stopping it for good increases 5 times. And when researches are involved, that means it’s worth trying, isn’t it?
It doesn’t have to be only smoking
The previous paragraph might make you think that Stoptober is all about quit smoking. I would say that it is really up to everybody. It doesn’t matter what kind of bad habit you would like to erase from your life.
For example, drinking ( it is usually referred to Sober for October). There are people who are not as aware of what the consumption of a large amount of alcohol can cause as they should be. We are talking here about liver health, quality of the skin, sleeping problems and obviously the increasing risk of other diseases. I know that for us, students, it is really hard to reduce the alcohol intake, especially with Ocean Wednesdays, am I right? However, looking forward to your future, your liver and your own health will thank you.
5 Motivational Tips
1.Distract yourself
Find a new hobby, go to the gym, go for a walk – we all know that when we are bored or we have too much time to think, it makes us coming back to our bad habits. Avoid this moment by keeping yourself distracted!
2. Cut out the triggers
Whether you want to stop smoking, drinking, eating too many sweets and fast foods, etc., the best thing you can do is to get rid of triggers. It might be difficult for the first time, but if you really mean it, go for it. You don’t have to necessarily bin it, let’s say you give it to your friend who makes sure that you won’t be cheating but in case you wouldn’t manage, he/she will always have “the first aid kit”.
3. Tell somebody about it
Parents, grandparents, friends, doesn’t matter. Tell somebody about your determination and attempts so they can accompany you on your journey. These people can support you when you will feel weak and low (and this stage might come) as well. Of course, if the person tries to do the same thing, that’s even better. You won’t ever be alone.
4. Imagine being successful
Imagination is a strong tool. Imagine how you proudly refuse an offered cigarette, or how you make healthier choices in a supermarket. Imagine yourself after a couple of months how you are satisfied with yourself just because you were strong enough to kick your bad habit away.
5. Motivational wallpapers
This tip is more like a cherry on top really. Just search for some motivational quotes with nice background and put it anywhere you can. Laptop, tablet, phone. And you can also print some of those and stick them all around you to boost your determination.
And if you think you can’t make it just tell yourself you can. As long as you have the strong willpower, you can use Stoptober as a countdown towards your success.
By Radka Feichtingerová
Photo courtesy of Merton gov