What Are Your Habits?

We tend to assume that all habits are bad. This is understandable, when you consider how many failings and vices are classed as habits! Lying, cheating, drugs, drinking, overeating, all are frequently called habits, and it’s never a compliment! We all have some of them, even if the worst is daydreaming and wasting time. Most have more than one wicked one, that they’re ashamed of, and seek to avoid thinking about.

Naturally, if you neglect a habit, it just goes merrily on unabated.  Acquiring and getting rid of habits are both slow processes most times, but getting rid of one usually is unpleasant and takes money or sweat to extinguish. To get a new habit, all you likely need do is not pay attention, while doing something that feels good. Before you know it, you’ve got yourself a dandy new habit! Oops.

The reason its so easy to latch on to a new habit is this; during the early stages, while you’re not paying attention, the side effects are usually pretty minimal. If you pay much attention at all, you focus on the part that feels good, or makes life easier. It’s only later that the wicked consequences show up to kick your butt, but by then, you aren’t thinking about what you’re doing…it’s a habit!

The wise person understands this evil process, and works to avoid picking up new bad habits. Instead, they try to turn useful or good things into habits! Whether it’s eating better, exercising, avoiding dubious dealings or not wasting your time, you’d like to turn these into habits! That’s a great idea, since by definition, habits are things you do automatically, without thinking. God knows, if I have to think about exercising, I’m doomed to fail!  We all need a much better group of habits, if we want to get anything worthwhile accomplished in life. Like coming here, and reading my blog. Don’t think about it, just make it a habit! Please?

Jack