Some habits help you deal with life.

Other habits help you process life.

Deal With It!

A beer after a long day at work, for example, can help you deal with life.

Life, after all, is filled with things we might not choose if we truly had the choice.  Writing reports, laundry, raking leaves, sitting through a boring meeting, etc.

Be Careful About Anything That Makes Challenges Too Easy

There is nothing inherently wrong with something that helps you deal with life.  Something that gives you a temporary reprieve can be immensely helpful.

Yet remain watchful and cautious.  A habit that helps you deal with life is ripe for your abuse.  Because utilizing something in this way keeps you squarely in the perspective of “Some things I do are good/enjoyable and some things I do are bad/stressful.”

Unpleasantness is Subjective

Of course, it’s true that some things are inherently less prone to pleasantness and offer greater potential for your distaste.  But choosing not to pre-judge, or categorize them, in that way keeps alive their potential to rise above your (perhaps rightfully so) lower expectations.

Not to mention that escaping something can lead to problems.  The thing you’re escaping, after all, is something you’d prefer to escape!  When escaping it becomes the norm, you’ve increased the potential for causing and experiencing problems in your life.

Positive Affirmation Usually Become a Habit That Helps You Deal 

Positive affirmations are, unfortunately, usually a way to escape.  Not to process and change yourself, but to distract yourself.  After all, do you ever utilize positive affirmations except when you’re not feeling good about something?

Positive affirmations are, inherently, used in situations where we lack knowledge.  When we are unaware of how to truly change ourselves, we give ourselves positive self talk in lieu of taking action.

Develop a Habit That Helps You Process, Instead of Deal

On the other hand, a habit that helps you process life is almost always beneficial.  Such a habit isn’t about escape, but immersion.  Immersion into the life you’re experiencing and the feelings you’re having about it.