I was on the wrong path in my 20s. I worked a series of dead-end jobs. I drank too much alcohol. I smoked pot. I tried a variety of other illegal drugs. Most mornings, I woke up, took a few bong hits and zoned out. I was heading down the track to nowhere. But a day came when everything changed. I learned how to break the cycle.
To be fair to myself, I wasn’t a complete loser. In fact, many of the things I did in my 20s helped to make me who I am today. I spent thousands of hours playing guitar and writing songs. I traveled thousands of miles by train across this great country. I just couldn’t break the cycle of drugs and alcohol. Learn more about the struggles of youth in my biographical fiction: A Train Called Forgiveness
One day, about a month after my 30th birthday, I said, “enough is enough.” I quit smoking and drinking. I signed up for college. I never looked back. Simple enough, right? Wrong. That day was a long time coming. There was only one thing that got me there.
What Do You Believe In?
I don’t consider myself a religious man by contemporary or traditional standards. I do believe in a higher power. I do believe in Christ as one who dwells within me. Check out a few of these posts to learn more about my spiritual beliefs:.
In my 20s, I was more religious than spiritual. I was even superstitious. I believed that God was an angry tyrant and that I was doomed to an eternity of misery because I was not conforming to His desires. Boy, was I wrong!
God Can Help Us Renew Our Minds
I didn’t know it at the time, but I was beginning to learn that God is not an angry tyrant that lives up in the sky shaking his fist. In my late 20s, I tried to quit smoking and drinking a number of times. I’d last a few weeks or even a few months. Then I’d start again. But each time I quit, I replaced the bad habits with good habits. Here are a few examples:
- Exercise
- Reading
- Music
- Writing
- Bible study
- Prayer
I was reprogramming my mind. It just took a few years to complete. By the time I reached 30, I knew I had to make a permanent decision to stay on the positive track.
Break The Cycle
I believe reprogramming the mind is the key to breaking the cycles of addiction, laziness, procrastination, codependency or any other negative habits you struggle with. But it won’t happen overnight. Check out these two posts to learn more about how we can change our habits for good:
If you struggle with negative habits, don’t give up hope. Overcoming old habits is a process. It takes time. The key to deleting the old habits is in creating new habits.
I’ve still got work to do. I still struggle with too much technology, too much unhealthy food, and a number of other issues. But I’ve made progress on ridding those bad habits, too. It’s all a process. It’s all in the power of the mind. And if you believe Christ dwells within you as I do, then you know who to thank.
I’ve written a little book that can help you on your way to creating positive habits and becoming more productive. I’m giving it away for free. All you have to do is click the link below for your free PDF ebook:
