Have you tried the whole glow up trend in the past, but nothing seems to have changed? You could be doing these 12 bad habits keeping you from glowing up this year.
Everyone makes progress in different time, but if you feel like your progress is slow, there could be some things you do to help yourself glow up mentally and physically.
Even if you’re not looking for a “glow up,” these mental health tips can just help you live a happier life in general.
What is a Glow Up?
Before we get into the bad habits keeping you from glowing up, what even is a glow up?
When I first came across the term, the things I saw people doing were mostly to have a physical glow up for their appearance. So clearing up their skin, exercising, and things that made them feel more confident in the way they look.
Having a physical glow up is great. I started a new skincare routine, tried exercising more (for the sake of being healthier), and started taking better care of my hair.
But what I realized is that the ultimate glow up is mental.
A glow up isn’t just about appearance. It’s a complete physical, mental, and emotional transformation.
It’s all about becoming the best version of yourself, in whatever capacity that means to you.
Now if you’ve been trying to better yourself, there could be some bad habits that are getting in your way, and we’ll talk about those next.
How to Break Bad Habits
Before we get into the bad habits keeping you from glowing up, how do you even go about breaking bad habits? I feel like this is one of the harder things in life, so here are some tips to break bad habits
- Start small. For example, if you’re trying to break the habit of drinking soda, try starting with only drinking one a day or once a week, depending on how much you drink now.
- Identify your triggers. Is it worse when you’re stressed? Try keeping that in mind.
- Replace your habits. It’s even harder to quit bad habits when you have nothing to replace it with.
- Have reminders. Set reminders on your phone or sticky notes to keep it up. If you’re trying to get more sleep, set reminders when it’s time to start winding down for bed.
- Be realistic. Know that progress is not liner and you are going to have set backs. That is completely okay and normal. Don’t be so hard on yourself, but don’t give up either.
12 Bad Habits Keeping you from Glowing Up
Now that you know how to break bad habits, here are 12 bad habits keeping you from glowing up.
Negative Self Talk
One of the the biggest reasons we lack confidence is because of the negative self talk. We’re always over critical of ourselves and it hurts our self esteem.
One of the things I do a lot of telling myself I can’t do something when things get hard. That’s a habit I’m working on breaking myself right now, and I think it’s one of my biggest barriers to success.
This is something that we can improve, but it takes a long time to change your thought patterns. You can do it though! Here are some tips to combat negative self talk.
Not Drinking Water
Every time I have a headache, the first thing my husband asks is “How much water have you drank today?” I never even have to answer because he knows I probably drank hardly any water.
Staying hydrated isn’t just important for your skin, it’s important for functioning in general.
Not having a Skincare Routine
Skincare of course isn’t a must have, but it has boosted my confidence since I finally have a skincare routine that I like.
I used to just wash my face and not even use moisturizer because I just didn’t know any better. Then I started using moisturizer and that helped so much.
Now I’ve added a couple of other products in that have helped with my specific skin issues, like Vitamin C and retinol.
Everyone’s skin is so different, so there is no one size fits all. Try out some different products that are supposed to help your skin and go from there!
Comparing yourself to Others
Since we’re in the age of social media, one of the hardest things we deal with mentally is constantly comparing ourselves to others.
Keep in mind that you’re seeing the highlights of their life, not their whole life. I know it’s easier said than done, but try to make it a practice that you don’t compare yourself to others.
I see people my age with new houses and cars, and it feels like they’re just so far ahead of where I’m at. It makes me feel terrible about myself. But then I remember the trials that I’ve been through and it’s completely cheesy, but only comparing myself to who I was yesterday makes me feel a lot better.
Aiming for Perfection
Since we do compare ourselves to others constantly, another bad habit is always aiming for perfection. I used to want everything done perfectly, and if it wasn’t, I got angry about it. I stayed angry about silly little things that in the grand scheme of things, doesn’t even matter.
It takes practice, but when you find yourself worried about the little things (like a messy house), try to find joy in the small things instead of staying focused on the things that are wrong.
Eating Unhealthy Foods
Another bad habit keeping you from glowing up is eating unhealthy foods. For me, this isn’t about weight. I’m not trying to lose weight or anything. For me, it’s mental. When I eat unhealthy, I just feel gross and have no energy.
I have such a bad habit of reaching for snack cakes that I feel like I need to have one for dessert after every meal I eat, and it makes me feel so bad and I spend the rest of the day feeling sick.
Try replacing unhealthy foods with healthier options that make you feel better.
Not Taking Care of your Hair
My hair was an absolute mess for a while. It was damaged from using Sun In (if you know, you know) and was always a tangled mess.
I’ve recently been trying to take better care of my hair. I don’t use heat on it that much and wear it in hairstyles that don’t cause as much breakage. It’s looking so much healthier now.
Everyone’s hair type is different, so find what products work for your hair.
Having Bad Hygiene
This can be a touchy subject, so I feel like it doesn’t get talked about a lot. Some kids are just never taught proper hygiene and then they grow up and the cycle continues.
Some people aren’t aware of some of the good hygiene habits you should be doing, but you can learn!
I’m guilty of a few myself (don’t ask me how often I floss), but I’m trying to make better hygiene habits like that!
Here’s a good resource if you want to know all about good hygiene.
Setting Unrealistic Goals
One of the reasons we don’t meet goals is because they’re unrealistic, and I think that’s a bad habit that a lot of us have. I used to try setting goals like only eating out once every two weeks, but that just wasn’t realistic for my lifestyle, and I ended up with low self esteem when I couldn’t do it.
Whatever your goals are, make it a habit to make them more realistic and take it one step at a time so you’re more likely to meet them.
Excessive Social Media
Social media has so many implications on our lives. Like I mentioned earlier, that’s where we do a lot of comparing ourselves to others. Studies show that social media is linked to depression and anxiety.
I’m not saying you have to give it up completely. I could never do that. But try limited your screen time so you’re not just constantly and mindlessly scrolling through social media.
Not Getting Enough Sleep
Not getting enough sleep is a bad habit that I think most of us are guilty us, and a habit you need to break if you want the ultimate glow up.
Not getting enough sleep increases your risk for several health conditions and also negatively affects your mental health. Start making it a habit to either go to bed a little earlier or sleep in a little extra.
Doubting Yourself
The last bad habit keeping you from glowing up is always doubting yourself. I can say that I’m not a confident person, so I’m constantly second guessing myself. My husband is a great support in that he points when I’m doubting myself and gives me the confidence boost I need.
You can read more here about how to stop doubting yourself.
Bad Habits Keeping you from Glowing Up
That’s it for the bad habits keeping you from glowing up. I hope you enjoyed!
Ultimate Glow up Checklist
If you haven’t already checked out how to glow up physically and mentally, here’s an ultimate glow up checklist.
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