How Habits Can Be A Good Thing
The following piece is an excerpt from my book, “Word, From Your Mother,” a daily guidance journal written for my children, Liv and Pierce-Gabriel.
Excerpt #16
I’m a creature of habit. Habits are good things to have as long as they don’t take over your life, and as long as they’re good habits! I find that there’s nothing worse than an interrupted schedule or routine. Why? Because it messes up your habits! However, sometimes it’s good to change things or even add another good habit to your routine.
I’ve heard that simple changes such as switching the way you brush your teeth like using your non-dominant hand, helps with memory. I’ve also learned that if you want to add or change a new habit, it’s most beneficial to do so in tiny increments. In other words, if you’ve started doing 15 ab crunches during your workout routine and want to change it up, you shouldn’t decide to bump it up to 20 after a couple of weeks. It’s better to go to 16, then 17, etc. This way, it’s sustainable and will decrease the probability of giving up.
I’ve been experimenting with this practice, and it really does work. As you know, I tend to be somewhat of an overachiever and bite off way more than I can chew. When I feel I’m not making enough progress, I tend to be very hard on myself. The truth is, you can’t work at lightning speed 24/7. You need to strike a healthy balance with everything you do. You’ll find that if your wheels are spinning backward in the mud, or if you feel like you’re chasing your tail, then you are not balanced. This is when you need to regroup-take your temperature, so to speak and readjust your climate.
In his book, Source Code Meditation, Dr. Michael Cotton briefly reviews the four dimensions of human life to live a full and fearless life. This is all based upon the teachings of Ken Wilber on Integral Metatheory (IMT), which is the theory of everything. Basically, the four dimensions are Mind/Consciousness, Body/Brain, Relationships/Culture, and Environment/Systems. Each of these dimensions affects the other in “dynamic and unpredictable ways.” Without going into this theoretically, I like to simplify using these dimensions as a framework or guide for balance.
The most important thing that I can express to you is not looking at life in terms of black and white. There are infinite possibilities and solutions to everything. We are genuinely limitless beings. Don’t be afraid of change…in fact, embrace it. I heard a saying somewhere, “what you resist will persist.” Be open, change things up. Radically refuse to harbor negative thoughts and fears. Embrace every moment as if it were your last!
Change your habits to add variety to your life. Recognize when a habit or a train of thought no longer serves you. You will realize that good and not-so-good habits and beliefs are often accompanied by powerful feelings. So, do what feels internally right as long as it serves you and fills your heart with joy!
Originally published at http://frequencyfacilitator.com on September 22, 2020.
