Swapped my Friday night habit for something better
Used to drink every Friday without fail. Now I go to a yoga class and then cook something nice. Sounds boring but honestly? I wake up on Saturday feeling like a human being. That's the trade-off and it's worth it.
Comments (11)
I love this so much, Alisha. Replacing the habit instead of just white-knuckling through it is such a smart approach. Did you find the yoga helped with the cravings directly or was it more about having something to do with your hands and your time?
friday nights were the hardest for me too. i started going to the gym instead and it honestly changed everything. having a replacement activity makes such a huge difference.
this is what harm reduction looks like in practice. love it alisha. finding what works for you and leaning into it.
fridays are still my worst day. might try cooking too. what do you usually make?
This is an excellent example of behavioral substitution, Alisha. The literature on habit formation tells us that habits are driven by cue-routine-reward loops. By keeping the cue (Friday evening) and the reward (relaxation, enjoyment) but replacing the routine (alcohol with yoga and cooking), you are effectively rewiring the loop rather than fighting against it. This is far more sustainable than reliance on willpower alone.
ok i love that there's a science word for what i'm doing!! behavioral substitution. sounds way fancier than 'i made pasta instead of drinking wine' haha.
Haha right? But honestly knowing there's research behind it makes it feel less like you're just winging it. Like okay this actually works, not just for me.
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