A Healthy Way to Let Go of a Bad Relationship

Self-Discipline Habits that Can Help You End Bad Relationships


Photo via Pixabay

When others see you in a bad relationship, they wonder why you accept being treated badly, why your self-respect seems to be low, and why you aren’t doing anything to change your lot. But as the person in the bad relationship, you know that handling this situation is not quite as simple as it seems. Sometimes, you confuse overly-possessive and attached behavior with love, yet at other times, you can see exactly what is wrong. However, you can’t seem to find a way to put an end to it. According to a survey conducted in the United Kingdom, 60 percent of people continue to stay in bad relationships. Why? It all boils down to three factors: a lack of self-love, a dearth of self-discipline, and low self-esteem.
Self-discipline leads to a greater understanding of yourself – you get to define your value system, and understand what you will and will not accept from your significant other. Here are a few self-discipline habits to help you deal with bad relationships in a healthy way.

Meditate to understand yourself better
Scientific evidence shows that meditation improves memory and instills a positive sense of self. Whether you meditate for 10 minutes or half an hour daily, you become privy to a more focused thought process that comes from deeper attunement between your body, mind, and soul. When your sense of self grows stronger, you become better at dealing with negative influences in your life without letting the behavior of others dictate your self-worth.

Start a gratefulness diary
Your thoughts form your habits. The secret is to train your mind to think positive and uplifting thoughts instead of focusing on what you think you lack. By disciplining your mind, you can become the master of your thoughts. One good way to train your mind to focus on the positive aspects of your life is to start writing a gratefulness diary. Instead of complaining, write down one thing that makes you feel grateful by spelling out the positive aspects of your life and yourself. If you are grateful for the things you have in your life, you will think twice about compromising your worth in a relationship.

Don’t binge eat to distract
There is a reason why people eat more when they are stressed or sad – food becomes a way to distract yourself from the problems you are facing in the present. According to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll, 67 percent of Americans agreed that they turn to comfort food when they are upset. With improved self-discipline, you will be able to stop using food as a crutch or distraction. Make it a habit of eating healthily to improve your physical and mental health every single day. A happy body and clear thought process will help you focus on problem-solving so you can work on reaching the root cause of your sadness and dissatisfaction in your relationship.
​
Whether or not you forget, learn to forgive and let go
Often, we find ourselves holding onto a bad relationship and enabling our partner’s bad behavior because we think it is the way to prove our loyalty. The truth is that you damage your psyche more by holding onto a relationship that is hurting you. At such times, it is important to learn the art of letting go. Forgive yourself for making a mistake, and forgive your partner for being a flawed human being who is unable to love you the way you want them to. Forgiveness doesn’t mean turning a blind eye to bad behavior. It simply means that you know you deserve better. Letting go of a relationship is easier said than done – you may miss them, still crave their attention, and be curious about how they are faring without you. With better self-discipline, letting go becomes easier, because your mind knows that while the process may be hard, it has to be done.
Developing self-discipline is difficult at first, but it gets easier with time. Along with helping you live a better life, self-discipline can also help you evaluate your relationships and honestly make choices for your betterment.