08/31/2024
Habits!
Everyone has habits.
Habits can be good and not so good.
Habits are something we do over and over because it is often how we have always done something. Habits can come from the time of day it is, the time of the week, the month, or even time of year. Habit can come from a situation or routine. Habits are often formed subconsciously.
Habits can be very beneficial like a regular workout routine or not so beneficial such like a regular habit of smoking, mover eating, over doing, etc.
It might just be the time to shake things up and get out of your habits! Maybe it is time to get out of your standard routine. Maybe it’s the standard routine of the summer and back into the habit of the back to school days and the sun getting up just a little later each day.
The change of habits can be fluid and good. And sometimes they do not feel good always too. That is okay!
Your habits can be changed.
And change can be good!!
Do little things to change your habits
Change where you always park your car at work.
Adjust the location of your seat on the bus or train.
Move your mat to another spot in the room.
Pick up your fork with your non-dominant hand.
Brush your teeth with the other hand.
Put your left foot forward.
Drive a different route.
Sing a different tone.
My point is that not everything has to be done the same way. By switching things up and shifting your perspective, it can be eye opening and possibilities you never knew were available (even little things), can change your life.
When little things change and you get used to little things changing, life can be easier when big situations change. You can take change easier. You can invite in change. Surprises that might not have seemed so good can be easier. Not that surprise is a bag thing. Surprises can be lovely and amazing. I love being surprised. A surprise gift or a surprise hug, a surprise to see someone I did not expect to see is a change.
So we are starting to talk about small changes, little shifts in perspective.
Let’s move on to now think about something in the middle range of change.
I had an elbow injury on my right, dominant arm. It was so bad that opening a door was a pain level of 8 out of 10. Shaking someone’s hand was 9 out of 10. It was a pain that was fleeting and yet I was not capable of using that hand.
I had to learn how to use my left hand. My left arm. It was not a huge deal, it was not catastrophic. It was a thing. A middle level of change, or maybe even a small one. And yet, I learned a new habit. I embraced the change and still do to this day.
Have you ever tried using your non-dominant hand for a sustained amount of time?
Try it out.
How was it?
What was it like?
When changing a habit, the change or habit itself, may take longer to grasp.
For me, when I switched to my non-dominant hand, activities like brushing my teeth took longer. Putting on a shirt or buttoning my pants was seemingly harder. So I learned to change my habit and really not by choice. I had to use my left arm and hand, I had to shift how I went about my day to day activities and life.
Now that I have healed, I have the choice. I have chosen to keep using my left hand and arm so shall something happen again I have more options. I can break the habit sooner. I have more options! More possibilities! I have become fairly ambidextrous.
Write down a list of things you can do to make small changes in your day to day life.
Write down ten more.
Now ten more after that.
What is just ten more now?
Circle three of them and start today.
By changing your habits, you change your circumstances and anything is possible.
I would love to hear from you ~ thoughts ~ ideas ~ contemplations. And if you want this to your email, let me know!
Energy Exchange
