Once upon a time I was struggling with destructive habits, and so I went to talk to my priest for advice. He suggested the best way to overcome bad habits is to do something good for other people, like empty the dishwasher so other folks in the house don't have to. The principle sticks with me: The best antidote to sorrow or pain or bad habits is to live outwardly, *for* other people. When dealing with a major personal tragedy earlier this year, I found the best thing to do was to pay attention to other people and what they needed. That helped keep me from ruminating and spiralling into misery.