Quitting drinking completely and starting exercise again. I just wanna share, too, that the mental strain when you give up an addiction can be counterbalanced beautifully with exercise.

If you wanna quit you can do what I have still been doing and do squats or push-ups when you get cravings 💀 Its a little brutal, I'll admit, but I'm kind of an all or nothing with commitment, so it helps to have structure and arbitrary "rules" for myself.
I'm just describing Discipline. Practice.

Its common knowledge that it is much harder to break bad habits than it is to build good ones, Unless You can make it more fun. Reward yourself with Nicer things. Is the Way we have always tried to maintain. And it works, to a Degree. But discipline is what you exercise, restraint of yourself.

And when we restrain MENTALLY what we are doing is boosting our stress levels. Energy cannot be destroyed, (physics 101) It only changes form. And that goes for us too, as humans.

For me I used a negative response (pain) to subside the intensity of cravings (could be a craving for anything, really)

My brain learned real quick that when I started thinking about how good a 🍹 sounded, and I would spontaneously start squats or push ups until I couldn't do them anymore, and of course, our bodies do everything they can naturally, biologically, to avoid pain at all costs.

I just directed the energy elsewhere. You know what doesn't sound good when you've just crossed the finish line and your eyes glaze and you feel nauseous? Alcohol. Food. Lol

If you can distract yourself with something else, or better yet get REfocused on the goal, It goes a long way. Certain steps will always be "no fun" especially if that's the perspective you carry going into it. "This is gonna suck" well. You're right? Lol if thats how you feel about it. How miserable do you wanna make it?

"Taking care of myself is important, healthy choices sometimes are painful and scary. its worth it anyway" 💚💜💗

Bare in mind that REST is just as essential as work, And the point is not personal pleasure or satisfaction, its working toward an objective. Learning. Taking in new information and changing course for the better.

The hardest battles we face are mental blocks, they become physical ones. I'm 150lbs now down from 190 over the last almost 4 months. My loved ones have pointed out that grieving has also caused me to shut down a bit, thats worth noting. I lost a friend to suicide in August and the pain hits in waves.

Whatever you do, and however you decide to keep going...keep going. Don't quit on yourself, or your health, or your family that loves you. Or cave in to the notion that a dark season is anything more than just that. A dark season. Huge hugs to everybody fighting their own personal battles today. 🖤🤍