Kicking Bad Habits

Ok it's confession time: I have a slew of bad habits. Not just one or two that you can chock up to being busy, but several really bad habits that I am dying to change. I'm sure you have all seen those hashtag challenges, The Everygirl and 100 Happy Days are popular ones, and they got me thinking. Could making a big deal of changing or shifting behavior work for even simple everyday tasks? I'd like to find out. I've often heard it takes about 28 days to effect habitual change, so I have the month of September to see if I can make the changes stick. So in the spirit of transparency and starting fresh (the adult version of back to school), I wanted to share with you my bad habits, and how I would like to change them.  

Bad Habit #1 : I struggle to put clothes away and at times leave them on the floor.

I am not a dirty person, let's make that clear. However, I tend to get my head caught up my ass and ignore the fact that with exception of underwear, I have thrown two days worth of clothes off to the other side of the room. This unkempt pile should not be welcome in my bedroom. So while it's simple and very basic, my goal is to put away my clothes each day. Whether that is going into the hamper, being hung up or folded, there should be no clothes on the floor...PERIOD. I'm going to piggyback on this goal again with organizing my very large walk-in closet so that getting dressed is easier, I know what I actually have, and I can asses what I need and need to get rid of.

Bad Habit #2 : I go stretches of time without any kind of exercise.

If this was the only thing I stuck to, this entire experiment will be a win. This is just plain bad for me. It's bad for my health, it's bad for my mood, and it's plain awful for my body. There really is no excuse not to get moving for at least 30 minutes a day if not more. A walk, a workout DVD, a class is really all it takes. I have a gym in my building I have never been in and they have tv's on the machine, that's pathetic. In short, I need to move my ass. While I'm at it I want to set a goal of not only moving each day, but also taking time each day to stretch. As a former dancer and cheerleader, it's shameful where my range of motion is lately. I'm about as agile as Chris Farley in Tommy Boy, and yes I wish I was kidding. So some kind of exercise (walks for the days I don't workout) and stretching daily.

Bad Habit #3 : I eat carbs (not the great kind) at almost every meal.

Look I am not a champion of low carb, no carb, or anything like it, but I do know I cannot eat starchy carbs at every meal and think I'm going to see change. I can eat all the kale in the world, but it won't matter when it comes to starch. I know carbs are a trigger for me, and that I have literal carb addiction. Going cold turkey won't work, so it needs to be minimized. No carb 3-a-days. Preferably lay off starchy carbs in the evening, and when I can't or simply don't want to avoid them make sure I remember that for the rest of my meals. Like I said I am never giving up carbs, but I need to curb those babies in a serious way.

Bad Habit #4 : I go to bed very often without taking off my makeup/washing my face.

Yep, this one is gross. I don't know any reason other than sheer laziness for this one, but it's pretty rare that I take time at night to care for my skin and yet I bitch about blemishes and skin issues. This is a simple fix with an even easier back up. I'd like to take 5-10 minutes a night and devote them to taking care of my skin. Cleansing, treating, whatever I need, and for the nights when that's too much then at least use disposable face cleansing cloths. I am also going to piggyback on this and say that I should be cleaning my makeup brushes/Clarisonic weekly. 

Bad Habit #5: I put my hair through a hot, chemical shit storm on the regular.

Yes my dear readers, I am a bottle blonde. I am a colored, bleached, flat ironed, hot mess. I coat my scalp in dry shampoo just so I can wash my hair every other day, which has been a savior but causes MAJOR buildup. I blow dry and straighten my hair which you know is f*cking awful for it too. The reality is I am not going to stop coloring my hair or styling it with heat. This means I need to take some extra care of my locks. This is another easy one, but I NEED to start using a weekly hair masque and deep conditioning treatment, along with some sort of heat protection product. I am so lucky my hair doesn't look like shredded wheat, but I won't always be. The time is now!

This should be no surprise to you, but I have a few other bad habits. I want to set myself up for success, so I am trying to be realistic about changes I want to make and not bite off more than I can chew. So if you are feeling brave, inspired, or can just commiserate with my less than stellar habits, leave a comment. It's always nice to know that other people don't have it as together as they appear to on Instagram!

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