What unhealthy habits would you like to eliminate from your life before the year ends?

The year 2015 is about to end. While we normally plan our New Year’s resolutions for the coming year, why don’t we take the time to reflect on all the unhealthy and negative things we can eliminate from our lives before we start 2016? There are so many things we can be grateful for this year and there are always things and situations that are not good for us that we can leave behind so we start the new year on a positive and happy note. Being happy is a decision we can easily make, as long as we focus on the positive things around us and let go of what weighs us down so blessings can find their space within us.

Chef Reggie Aspiras

I have, though rather slowly, started to eliminate what is unhealthy in my life. For starters, I try to eat organic when I can. I have as well been more diligent in incorporating more vegetables and fruits into my diet, enjoying them in their freshest, purest form. I made a shift to more natural therapies and products not just for myself and my son Diego, but for whatever I use in the house such as cleaners, insect sprays, soaps and detergents. One thing that I really have to cut down on, if not eliminate, is soda! I am consciously making an effort to drink more water instead.

Yvette Fernandez, editor in chief, ‘Town and Country’

Negativity. I try to avoid people who gossip, whine and bitch. Negative people stress me out and affect my health and overall wellbeing. There are so many other people in the world to get to know. I choose to surround myself with happy, positive people.

Emerson Lee, businessman

This year I want to eliminate people with negative vibes simply because it opens the door to anger, sadness and even depression. After all, life is too short so it’s best to find the positivity in every aspect, even in the toughest times we have.

Olivia d’Aboville, artist/designer

Here are the unhealthy things I’d like to end: Staying in the city for long periods (I’m moving to Puerto Galera early 2016, but will still be going to Manila back and forth for work). Going on the Internet even before I eat breakfast. Being inconsistent in working out.

Margo Midwinter, actress, model

For me the unhealthy food I would like to eliminate is pizza. If I’m just by myself then I’m very healthy but when I’m at shoots I get tempted as usually pizza is ordered for delivery as it’s fast and super yummy. Siyempre if everyone is eating pizza then I don’t want to be the only one not having a slice.

JM Rodriguez, actor

I want to eliminate stress from my life because it is unhealthy to be stressed.  I know I can’t have a completely stress-fee life, but I can control the factors that stress me out by simplifying my life! Simplify my commitments, my room that is sometimes cluttered, the information and all the stuff that come in daily I will filter. Then I can have a harmonious year.

Stephanie Kienle-Gonzalez, VP sales and business development, Philux Furniture

I would like to eliminate stress. Being a working mom with a very busy schedule, there are times when I stress over the small things. By pausing, reframing and looking at the big picture, I hope to be able to address the little stresses of everyday life more easily and take them constructively. Life is short; I try my very best to live every day grateful.

Ludovic Branellec, general manager, Leading Biotechnologies Inc.

Working in the wellness and health industry, I am confronted every day by the effects of bad habits on one’s general well-being. Bad habits interrupt our lives and prevent us from accomplishing our goals. We often think that to break our bad habits, we need to become an entirely new person. The truth is, you already have it in you to be someone without your bad habits. In fact, it is very unlikely that you had these bad habits all of your life!

For example you don’t need to quit smoking, you just need to return to being the non–smoker that you once were.  Even if it was years ago, you have, at some point,  lived without this bad habit, which means you can most definitely live that way again.  All of the habits that we have right now — good or bad — are in our life for a reason.  In some way, these routines provide a benefit for us, even if they are bad for us in other ways. The key here is to replace our bad habit with a new habit that provides a similar benefit. Knowing this, I was able to completely eliminate sodas and other carbonated drinks from my diet about 10 years ago by replacing them systematically with natural fruit juices: my waistline has never been grateful enough for this choice.

The next step in my journey to wellness was to avoid eating (as much as possible) any processed food,  fast-food, or any low-quality ingredient. Instead of eating cheap meat every day, I preferred organic or free-range meat but only two  or three  times a week: quality over quantity. My ultimate victory was obtained three months ago when I was able to overcome my worst remaining 20-year habit: smoking a pack a day! Since I took this life-changing decision, there is not one day when my body does not fail to show me its gratitude (i.e., better sleep, improved skin quality, better performance in all physical activities, no more smoker’s cough, etc.)

There is just one more habit I wish to eliminate from my life: that of using my smartphone in bed just before I go to sleep. Not only does this practice push back my actual sleeping time, but often, reading work-related emails prior to bedtime unconsciously affects the quality of my recovery. It is easy to break bad habits and live a healthy life. You just have to want to do it.

Eric Pe Benito, image consultant, fashion stylist

I thinks it’s time to let go of all things negative and, most of all, people who’re just there for the good ride and not for the long haul.

Quito Jose, chef of Spice and Cleaver, Ninak, Brothers Burger

I would like to take out stress, which is the most unhealthy thing in my life.