Personal Growth and Habits

Jenny & Erin from: http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/09/win-a-25-gift-certificate/#comments, invited bloggers to answer these questions. How big of a role do habits play in your daily life? Do your habits typically form intentionally or unconsciously? What approaches have you found successful in shaping them?

The winner of the best post gets a $25 gift certificate. It’s a great question and one I had fun answering. Read on for my post...

“Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch you actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny” - Frank Outlaw

If you haven’t deliberately chosen to create a habit that consistently operates in your life, it’s probably because the habit has formed unconsciously. For example, I hear people say, “I always do….. I don’t even realize I’m doing/thinking/feeling…. it’s so automatic. I beat myself up…My pattern is….” Habits.

You’ve heard it takes 21 days to change a belief or 30 days to change behavior, right? The question is whether a habit is positively helping you or sabotaging you. With enough repetition, emotional charge or energy investment, habits become sticky and lead to creating patterns we integrate into our lives more automatically. So much of what we do day to day has become a habit, from the time we get up in the morning to the time we go to sleep.

How big a role do habits play in my life? Exercise regimes, eating well, scheduling time, work habits… provide structures and systems that support me. Personally, I depend on having some consistent practices (habits) so that my life works well and I’m feeling good. I’ve been on a spiritual journey of conscious awakening since the mid-80’s. I’m always learning more as I dig deeper into uncovering who I am not as I awaken to who I really am. In this process, I find many habits and beliefs that have unconsciously formed that have been driving my feelings, actions, and results. Some of my past and current habits have been doosies in making my life more stressful and unhappy.

Whether you are forming intentional habits depends on how conscious you are to be the deliberate creator in your life.

The good news is that when you become aware of beliefs or habits, you can choose to keep them, modify or replace them.

My approaches? Here’s what I do personally and with my clients:

1. Suspend judgments when discovering habits that are not positively supporting you today. At one time, those practices were really working for you.

2. Commit to a habit you wish to form and grow. Get on board with that decision totally. Make it a choice rather than a have to.

3. Share your intention with others. Gain their support and saying what you want out loud gives your intention more grit.

4. Assign attention and action to give energy to this new habit. For example, I wanted to begin exercising more consistently. So I told my master mind group that I was committing to exercise 4-5 times per week for at least 30 minutes to include cardio and strength training. Having that built in accountability keeps me on track.

5. Make this new practice compelling. Focus on the benefits of adding this habit. More money, peace of mind, less stress, more happiness, greater success…. Make committing to it so juicy and rewarding you will want to stay true to your intention.

6. Create a sabotage strategy. What will you do if you drop the ball and get sloppy? If you do drop the ball, be compassionate with yourself and keep going.

7. Celebrate along the way! Baby steps are successes. One day at a time, one step at a time - AA.