Habits Can Be Fun

What kinds of habits do you have?  I notice in the gym in my yoga and cycle classes that people have their favorite spots.  There are those that put their mats in the front or back corners of the room or the brave ones that always scoot theirs right up next to mine.  I have even witnessed a not so pleasant interaction when a newbie plopped their mat down in a veteran's favorite spot. Fortunately I haven't had to intervene to protect lives - yet!  In cycle class there are those who sit on the same bike every time them come to class.  I know that I too had my favorite spot when I used to take a step aerobics class. I would always place my bench to the left of the instructor a few rows back. It just made sense for the view - to see what they were doing and to be able to follow along more easily.  

We tend to have habits in a variety of areas in our lives: a morning habit of reading the paper, showering and dressing that never varies, the path we drive to work, our nightly relaxation patterns, the things we eat and the places we go for entertainment.  Over time we develop our favorites and don't stray very much once they are set.

When someone says "habits" do you typically think of something pleasant or unpleasant? Do you know that the most effective successful people have daily habits? You've probably heard of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. Starting with the end in mind, seek first to understand, and be proactive are some of them. But what habits do you need to start doing and what habits do you need to stop doing to be more effective? Are you taking time to relax and really let your mind wander like in the hammock picture above? Starting the day with some quiet time instead of jumping onto your phone to check texts or e-mails of Facebook may be the one thing you could do that would change your world for the better.

Habits can be fun too. I've made golf one of mine. I invite you to play with the topic considering what is currently working for you and what is not. Decide on just a few new habits and try one on at a time. See where it goes and how much better life is overall because of your new commitment.

What will you start today?