"I'm not addicted, I can quit whenever I want."
We've all heard it in media if not in person. Some of us have heard it from our own face-holes, I know I have. But what if we're not aware of our addiction? What if you haven't been called out, it hasn't hurt you yet-- it's just a perfectly acceptable, accepted exception to your otherwise exceptional life? Well, you can still feel it eating you alive, can't you?
Hubski, I want to talk about habits. Bad habits, good habits, and how you moved on from them. Have you moved on from them? How? Are you even trying? Are you struggling to kick it? What are you kicking? Why? Do you even want to? Do you care? Is your life on the line, or you just can't get it off your mind? You can't get him or her off your mind?
What habits are you trying to start? Well, why haven't you started yet? No, seriously, what's the real reason you haven't started.. or maybe you've succeeded and you haven't even noticed! Congrats then, you willpower-packed warrior of goal-setting... but what was your secret... Do you think you can keep your habit consistently? How are you going to try?
Why did you quit trying? Should you have given up? How did you succeed?
Do you regret succeeding?
Follow #vaguequestionsbypablo for not daily questions to bring Hubski together. Equivocacy guaranteed.
P.S. don't follow the personal tag unless you explicitly want to, this is for everyone to contribute who thinks they're up for it! New kids, read the past posts and contribute there if you want to, I don't care if it's a year old.
I had this exact recurring thought in regards to smoking: I know I can quit whenever I wanted to, it's just never appealing enough to quit. It's always more appealing to smoke whenever I'm out with my friends, drunk, a handful of nights a week. I know I could if I wanted to, it's just... I don't want to. But of course I knew I wanted to quit. So I signed up for a program where I'd travel and do community service and interrupt my lifestyle. That change of environment was enough for me to meaningfully quit going out so much and quit smoking. I rid myself of my triggers, and now it's been about 6 months without cigs. Feels good man. I ran a 5:50 minute mile Thursday, and I was smoking a pack a night 7 months ago.
That is awesome. Holy shit I didn't expect an answer like that. Congrats on quitting man, either way congrats on just setting your life the way you wanted it to. I ran a 6 minute mile two years ago when I was on the track and soccer teams, I collapsed afterwards and gasped on the ground for like 10 minutes while everything spun and chicks looked at me funny. I want some of whatever you're eating. e: ok it was off-season but still. jesus.So I signed up for a program where I'd travel and do community service and interrupt my lifestyle.
Thanks dude! It feels good to be appreciated. Quitting smoking also led to a host of other areas of improvement. I basically realized through quitting that I had a lot more discipline in me than I was acknowledging. I've turned my attention now to fitness. I hope this link works, it's me earlier today. I could barely hold a handstand for more than a few seconds a month ago.
WHAT. Damn dude! I follow progressive_calisthenics too by the way, but that's sick man. Is there a certain process you took to get there?
Well, four weeks ago I knew how to kick up into a handstand position and hold it for a few seconds. I then practiced holding a handstand against a wall for as long as I could every other day to improve my forearm strength, and then did hand stand push-ups against the wall on the alternate days. I could only hold it against the wall for a minute when I started beginning of July, and I could do maybe three hand stand push-ups as well. And then I just practiced it every day. It helps that I'm in a remote location with not a lot else to do for a few weeks. But the process was every day practice. That's cool you follow him, too. Any other users you suggest following?
I think I'm gonna start going for that! I had a two week bout of calisthenics and then a new gym opened up near me with strongman equipment and I got hooked. There is no better burn. Anyway, @officialkaigreene is off the hook, I have so much respect for the guy and he was one of my primary motivators to start picking things up and putting them down regularly. Also @rawcalisthenics is okay, and I follow stuff like @usarmedservices for motivation cause that's just me. I'm still not 'big' by any means though I can be proud of my strength, I just like staying fit and always trying to stay consistent.
Wow Kai is a monster, but I like how humble he seems to be. (As humble as one can be with hundreds of thousands of followers and a lifestyle on instagram.) I wonder, where in the hell do these guys find gyms like these to work in? rawcalisthenics, this guy has a couple of videos in a really cool looking gym, that's what I want. I don't know a single gym. Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm always looking for quality inspiration.
Kai just posted this. Whew.
Those are all technically crossfit or strongman gyms I'm pretty sure, my gym is similar. It's just that they prioritize the space and floor area for movement as opposed to room area to fit machines. Also they naturally look way more badass cause you've got ropes, tires, and bars everywhere instead of ellipticals and smith machines. Looking for "___ training" instead of "____ gym" or "fitness" helps for whatever reason, and smaller "new" gyms instead of chains will be able to accommodate badassery better usually. Hubski workout sesh would be sick.
I did quit mine. I spent 4 months playing Planetside 2 for 8+ hours a day, everyday. My schoolwork suffered, my relationships suffered, my health suffered. Then I just quit. Flat out, one day I didn't do it anymore. Since then my life has been so much better, I moved back out of my mom's house, made a bunch of new friends, got a girlfriend. None of that would have happened if I hadn't quit. I still think about the game from time to time but it's not worth it.
Wow. I knew that was a good game but damn. I respect that you were able to recognize what was happening, and you pulled out of it. It's not always an addictive substance that you get addicted to, sometimes it comes from yourself. Props man.
Thanks man. I did of course realize every day that I was engaging in self destructive behavior, but that didn't make it any easier to quit. I personally don't have to struggle with substance addictions, but video games are a whole other matter. I'm sure there are many like me and I hope they have the strength or the support to do what I did.
I'm addicted to playing drums. Seriously. I know that sounds silly, but I absolutely could not stop even if I wanted to - and I don't. Since I started playing about a year and a half ago, I've spent probably 40% of my free time playing, watching lessons, reading lessons, reading about gear, listening to audio samples of gear, just learning everything I can about this beautiful, wonderful banging-thing. I know an inordinately large amount about what goes into the sound of a drum, different kinds of drum heads, how a cymbal makes the sound it does, what cymbals sound like what, how to describe sounds, rhythms from all over the world, anything. I love it. I listen to music for drums. I listen to drums for music. I own 7 instructional books, I read DRUM! Magazine and The Drummer's Journal, and over 37% of my reddit karma (imaginary Internet points, for the uninitiated) comes from /r/drums. Some of my favorite people are drummers. I feel an instantaneous bond with anyone else that I learn plays drums. I've been working at a fast food place for the past month, saving up to buy a new kit. I may have to reconsider what I want to be when I grow up. E: Oh, also Hubski. I left reddit almost completely after I found it and now Hubski is almost all I do online, except occasional romps through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. And a couple drumming forums I frequent.
I assume you mean double bass, not double bass, right?
That is correct, though I can get down with the blast beats occasionally.
Please join my band, my last one turned into a fight for the song that brought out their instrument. No, electric bassist, nobody wants to hear you take the main stage with a four-note progression and no improv skills. disclaimer: My current band doesn't exist.
"Yeah I'm starting a groovy experimental project, we just take turns doing four-note solos.." "Um, okay.. do you have a name?" "But Egg Hat" "...why...?" "I don't know, but egg hat."
Pretty common problem, I just wish I had a solution. With me, I find myself most active and productive when I'm in a completely isolated, convenient and comfortable place (i.e. studying at Starbucks instead of home) where I can just tune out and work without pressure. Also, I need to keep the things I do changing as much as possible or I just fall off the train. eh.
We're all capable of quitting anything if we're so inclined. It is all a matter of wanting to or not. I know for a fact that I do not have the best discipline, but I was still able to go cold turkey with booze and smoking. Was it tough? Yes, it was. Was it impossible? No, it was not. Mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.
Nicotine yes, most things, no. I'm not sure I want to quit yet, but I'm also young and always find myself addicted to a new buzz. I think I could quit either smoking or dipping cold turkey at a moments notice, but I may be overestimating my own resolve.
If you are young, then it is more likely that you overestimae yourself, but everyone is different. Trying to quit after more than ten years is much different than even a year or two. I cuan stop for a few weeks, maybe even a month, but I'll always go back. Most people don't understand that addiction means the long haul.
Addictions: Caffeine, Shitty food, the Internet I love coffee. I have no desire to remove its presence from my life, and I am okay with this addiction. I'm trying to eat better, and working where I do helps (A Cafe and Bakery which is vegetarian and has many vegan/gluten free options including gluten free bread). I'm also eating less. I've lost weight, but I could do SO much better if I could get off of soft drinks. I know how bad they are for me, I know they're shit, but water's not the same. The internet is a form of escapism. It is difficult to remove it from my life because there are also healthy things for me on the internet - trans* resources, music resources, and great content like the stuff on Hubski. I Also love indie games, and there is a HUGE community on youtube for that (as well as a huge educational community). but I also spend way too much time on my computer escaping real life and the things I should be doing (practicing for example).
Nope. I'm fully committed. Buy the ticket, take the ride.
What do you mean by that? Is the rollercoaster of life as set in path as an actual theme park ride?
I don't believe in fate exactly. I live my life one mistake at a time. It's not easy, but it's mine. I wouldn't trade it with anyone. Is that vague enough?
Very! I was just curious how that applied in reality. I mean, there are active decisions through all stages of your life that can improve it tremendously. Changing the terms of the ticket for a little extra dough, maybe let you cut the line.
Well, there's always room for improvement. I think the reality is you can spend your whole life trying to be someone else when all you really have to be is yourself. Me? I'm at a bar with my love and I'm high as a kite and if this was my last night alive I'd die a very happy addict. I'm sorry for wasting everyone's time. Good question though.
Makes sense, that's a good way to go about things:) Wicked, get off Hubski and go enjoy life.I'm at a bar with my love and I'm high as a kite and if this was my last night alive I'd die a very happy addict.
I smoked off and on for a while, but didn't "start" until I was 18. Habit never stuck. It made food taste bad, and it didn't make me feel relaxed or make me less stressed, which are two things I wanted to happen. I'll still bum a cigarette off of someone if I'm around people smoking, but that's happened maybe once in the last year. I'd enjoy a casual cigar if I had money, and usually do when I'm around my friend. I do it for no reason other than to have something to do to fill in awkward silences. I've never been a drinker either, tried it once with a close friend the weekend after my great-grandmother died, and I felt like I was being ignored by someone else. Didn't do much for me, so I never really started that habit either. I'm fairly wary of being "addicted" to things. My dad was a massive drug addict, so I've always been extremely careful of myself. I have an obsessive personality anyway, and I'd rather it be focused on depressive thoughts of others than smoking or drinking.
I had a really shitty last summer/fall, and in the fall I started smoking cigarettes. Mostly while drinking. It wasn't too much - probably one cig a week or so - but I stopped around November/December just cuz I figured I should. It was pretty out-of-character for me. A couple weeks ago, I was telling an old friend about this, and just thinking and talking about it really made me want to start smoking again. I'm not exactly sure why. I guess I just enjoyed the social aspect and the atmosphere of just having a late night cigarette with friends or strangers. Also it seems like all the really interesting people in life are smokers. I've always been a really healthy person with my lifestyle habits. In the last five or so years - especially so in the last year - I've also been super good about being frugal with my money. In the past month though, I've relaxed both of these habits. Not being overly unhealthy or spending a ton of money, but just not being an uptight freak about them. It feels damn good.
Bad habits: the Internet - I spend most of my day on it which means I have less time for other activities like reading. Most of the time I keep checking the same websites over and over again till there's new content. Reddit is particularly bad for this. I get a little buzz when I find good stuff but then I end up back into the refreshing cycle. Laziness is another one, I tend to give up on things really easily or do things in the easiest ways possible which mean I don't develop because there's not challenge. Feeling awkward in social situations with people I don't know and not talking to people. Good habits: I'm trying to pick up meditation but I find it hard to sit down and just do it. I started journalling a few months ago which I've kept up with, I find it very therapeutic. I make myself do it every day and now it feels second nature. It also helped that I had a lot going in my life to write about when I first started. I've also started running, doing the couch 2 5k program which has been great. I've also started reading at least one poem every day, I've never really got into poetry before and really want to expand my knowledge of it.
Have you tried yoga? A good class will turn you into jelly and have you sweating balls (not hot yoga, that's bs) and your mind is transcended for the next few hours at least. I've just been getting into poetry too! I put it down for a long time honestly, but if you just read it freely for enjoyment it's great. I think my problem was the obnoxious analysis and interpretation my teachers do with us at school. "Here the writer is clearly employing the 'I' in 'I like purple cats' to emphasize the versatility of an expanding universe to give power to the Greek titan Atlas, obviously represented by the 'cat.'" Yeah. Obviously. but I think there's a lot to be appreciated when you find your niche and dig in. I think this is going to motivate me to do some more poetry reading :D thanks! I'm trying to pick up meditation but I find it hard to sit down and just do it.
Thank you that's a great idea! I'll have into local classes. I can totally relate the obnoxious analysis at school, it was the same when we read novels. My ex really got me into it, she was studying at college and took me to a reading. She also told me that most of the time it's best to read poems aloud to really get the feel of them, which I didn't know. You might like this website it has a new poem each day and they are often quite good!