Self-Defeating Bad Habits to Break In 2022: Moving From Breakdown to Breakthrough

Are you feeling held back in life? Do unhealthy patterns keep haunting you? I know what it’s like to go ’round and ’round that same old mountain without seeing any real progress!

If any of these bad habits to break in 2022 sound familiar to you, how about we commit to growing this year so we can move on from frustrated to far more fulfilled?

6 bad habits to break in 2022

Habits are those things we do so often in our lives that we now do them automatically. They can be helpful habits like daily spending time in the presence of the Lord or brushing our teeth!

Or, they can be devastating habits like explosive anger, smoking, drinking too much or allowing negative self-talk to run your life.

I don’t believe in “New Year’s resolutions,” but I do believe in being honest with ourselves, allowing Holy Spirit to illuminate areas of our lives that are in need of being transformed.

As we do the hard work of transforming, fruit is produced in our lives that we can be proud of! Holding on to these bad habits, however, keeps us stuck & spinning our wheels.

Leaning on our own understanding

I like understanding. My preference is to know how things are going to pan out before I jump right on in and risk getting hurt or failing. Trust is tricky for me.

In this life, though, that just isn’t how it works – no matter how much I protest! Uncertainty is certain. There are tragedies, trials, and circumstances that just don’t make sense to me. I don’t understand, try as I might!

I don’t understand the violence of senseless wars or hating someone based on the color of their skin. I don’t understand abuse, poverty, and so many of the evils in this world.

It’s also hard to understand the purpose of pain in our day to day lives. I find myself often saying, “Lord, I just don’t understand!”

In those moments, I am reminded of Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go. (TPT).“

If one of the bad habits to break in 2022 for you is worrying too much about what you can’t control and don’t understand — will you join me in praying, “Lord, I don’t understand, but I’m leaning on YOU. Help me to see things the way you see them and to trust You when I see nothing at all.”

Caring too much what others think

I love this quote because for years I was held in the prison of others’ beliefs and expectations. They put me in a box complete with all the labels and I was suffocating inside.

That’s why one of the most important bad habits to break in 2022 is caring too much what others think of you and how you should live your life.

We need to listen to wise counsel, be correctable, and humble. I’m not talking about being arrogant or defiantly living in sin.

Proverbs 29:25 says it best, “The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in GOD protects you from that.”

If you feel afraid to truly be yourself, say what’s on your heart, or do what God has called you to do because you have a million “what if they…,” scenarios running through your mind – break that!

You may not be everyone’s cup of tea but don’t lose your authenticity by bowing to men instead of God. Your walk was not designed to look like anyone else’s. So how could anyone other than the One who created you know what’s best for you?

Self-Doubt & Procrastination

In my post, “Self Doubt: Stop Doubting Yourself and Start Living!, I wrote about my own struggle with this. I know all too well what it feels like to have the very best of intentions but suffer through analysis paralysis instead.

I chose to place this bad habit in between caring too much about what others think and getting victory over vices on purpose. Self-doubt and procrastination are devastating vices that can block your progress in life like few other things can. It’s important to know the source of your negative inner talk.

Are you still listening to what others said about you in the past or caring too much about what others think of you now so much that you are doubting yourself and putting off for tomorrow what can be done today?

Give yourself grace while you grow, renewing your mind is a process. Every day you get a little bit better at replacing self-defeating thoughts with positive encouraging ones is a step in the right direction!

Get victory over vices

There are things that happen to us in our lives we can’t control. Staying stuck in behaviors, addictions, mindsets, patterns, and sins that are destroying our lives is within our control.

No matter what you are struggling with, you are not alone. I pray that the Lord would bring freedom into your life; whether that is through His Spirit, a resource, rehab centers, or someone you can trust like a new friend, counselor or pastor.

Your situation is not hopeless and neither are you. I declare freedom over you in Jesus’ name and I am believing for a complete turnaround in your life starting this day!

Reach out. Don’t be ashamed of asking for help. You just might be surprised how much others will understand! The devil is a master at mind games. If he can isolate you, he can convince you that no one cares or understands. Don’t let him win!

Too much inactivity

If you find yourself feeling unmotivated, scatterbrained, anxious, depressed, or constantly sore — ask yourself; have I been sitting a lot?

Resting and relaxing are beneficial to your health, but too much is harmful. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week. Include a combination of aerobic and weight exercise, and make an attempt to move more often.

Smartwatches are great for tracking your activity and reminding you to move every hour. Sometimes that motivation is all we need!

Get up and dance to your favorite song, take a relaxing walk in nature; do whatever it is that brings joy to your heart and health to your body.

Jumping to and from diets

Making changes to your unhealthy eating habits isn’t a bad thing, it’s one of the best. Always avoid yo-yo dieting . It does more harm than good. Yo-yo dieting is when you start a very restrictive diet and then quit.

It’s bad for your health and is definitely a bad habit to quit in 2022. Yo-yo dieters usually gain back the weight they lost plus some. This then pushes them into a vicious cycle of dieting and ‘hating their bodies’ because their weight has risen. With every new fad diet, the cycle begins again.

Related Reading: I Want To Be Pretty

Unless you are on a restrictive diet for medical reasons, it’s just not a good idea! A healthy, well-balanced diet, along with simple lifestyle changes, add up for big results that last.

You can change

Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise, including your own self-critic. It may take a little longer than you’d like to see change, but keep going! One day, one good choice, at a time.

• Don’t forget to celebrate your small wins as you grow

• Don’t allow discouragement in the beginning to determine your ending

• Remember that you’re not alone and reach out for help when it’s needed

• Don’t compare your life or progress to others. It will only distract you!

• Our mental, spiritual & physical health are connected. Don’t forget to take care of each!

What bad habits are you working to break in 2022? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Love & Blessings,

Thank you for sharing this post! I appreciate you!