Understanding and Using The Power Of Habit
Habits… Boy they really have a mind of their own, don't they? How many habits small and large do we have to deal with day after day. Some are life enhancing, and some…well…not. Today as I sat down to write in my journal it became obvious that I was going to address
this subject in the words of the day.
As I look back in my life of 50 some odd years, I see that my many learned habits are the reason that I have a reasonably successful life, I'm relatively happy, and have always been healthy and free from any serious medical problems. Why? Clearly, habits such as practicing organizational skills, regular exercise, meditation, reading, and good nutrition, including juicing, have a lot to do with these positive results in my life. Conversely, the areas of my life that seem to be less than shining are also the results of habits or lack there of. Challenging dental problems that I've wrestled with all of my life have everything to do with the practice of not brushing regularly enough when I was young. Impulsivity, that can sometimes lead to saying and doing things that I are not optimal, is another habit that has been with me (although to a much lesser degree than when I was younger) since I can remember. This habit of “ready, fire, aim” can challenge my relationships and cause me to receive far less successful results than if I would have just stopped to ponder before making a decision. Thus, the presence and life determining power of habits has been made very obvious to me.
Let's say that we accept the idea that habits do in fact cause life direction and success to make some improvements in our life. How can we use this info right now? First, try to make a list of any and all of the helpful, positive habits that you regularly practice. Include things such as bushing your teeth, praying, calling your mother, exercising, saying I love you to those that you love, eating well, chores, housework, reading regularly, planning, maintaining your car, etc. Include anything from the crucial to the mundane. Now do the same for a list of negative habits. Again, make this list as extensive as possible. Then for the next month or so play with the following activities:
1) Try to conclude how all of the good habits have contributed to positive outcomes in your life, both in the past and the present.
2) List all of the problems that the negative habits have caused you in your life (remember to notice how they have affected you socially, personally, health-wise, your job, education, family relationships, and any other ways you can come up with).
3) Play out the negative habits into the future. In other words, speculate on how they will affect your life in a month, in a year, in five years, in ten years and beyond. Let yourself see the damage that they will cause you if you don’t change. I know this part isn't fun, but if you don’t associate some pain with a bad habit, you are likely not to change it.
4) Now do the same with a list of positive habits that would change your life for the better, such as regular exercising, meditation, regular planned family days, reading for a half hour per day, finding a new hobby, on and on and on. Extend them out the very same way into the future. For this month, choose one or two of the “good” habits and get at them. Commit to them and practice them as regularly as makes sense. Just realize one crucial thing. The reason many people don't formulate enough good habits regularly is that the positive results that come from good habits very often don't happen right away. Actually, I have read that habits take about three to six weeks before they sort of “take” and begin to self perpetuate. So try it out and HANG IN THERE!
