Habit
Today I am grateful for the chair in my "meditation corner" and for the healing of my ribs and muscles. I am almost pain-free.
Habit is today's word. Recently, at the school I work at, I saw this quote twice in one day:
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." (Aristotle)
I saw it first in a bathroom stall (always a good spot for an inspirational sign) and I saw it a second time on the white board of a teacher's room where we were giving a presentation.
We are what we repeatedly do. Agreed. Positive, healthy choices lead to a more positive and healthy person. A simple idea to understand, but not always an easy one to implement. Why? Why do we sabotage ourselves? Why do we get complacent and stop doing the things that were helping? Those are good questions. I don't know the answers, other than I can best help myself by sticking with healthy habits, recognizing how they make me feel better, and continuing to do them. Day in, and day out. Once they are a habit, I am less likely to forget to do them, or to notice when I do forget.
Recovery from alcoholism and gratitude practice are two areas where I apply daily habits to help keep me on track. Journaling. Prayers. Meditation. Reaching out to others via emails and other avenues.
I also think of exercise and sports as areas where this quote makes sense to me. I think about my sister Ruth and I wearing away the grass in our yard in two spots--where we each stood to play catch with a softball. We threw hundreds, thousands of times. We got pretty decent at it. We put the time in. Today, exercise is also one of my healthy habits. I feel best when able to move, sweat, push myself, get some endorphins going.
Some habits, like exercise, can use a day off here and there. But for me, daily gratitude practice is best.
What healthy habits do you have that you most benefit from? Thank yourself for sticking to them today.
Habit is today's word. Recently, at the school I work at, I saw this quote twice in one day:
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." (Aristotle)
I saw it first in a bathroom stall (always a good spot for an inspirational sign) and I saw it a second time on the white board of a teacher's room where we were giving a presentation.
We are what we repeatedly do. Agreed. Positive, healthy choices lead to a more positive and healthy person. A simple idea to understand, but not always an easy one to implement. Why? Why do we sabotage ourselves? Why do we get complacent and stop doing the things that were helping? Those are good questions. I don't know the answers, other than I can best help myself by sticking with healthy habits, recognizing how they make me feel better, and continuing to do them. Day in, and day out. Once they are a habit, I am less likely to forget to do them, or to notice when I do forget.
Recovery from alcoholism and gratitude practice are two areas where I apply daily habits to help keep me on track. Journaling. Prayers. Meditation. Reaching out to others via emails and other avenues.
I also think of exercise and sports as areas where this quote makes sense to me. I think about my sister Ruth and I wearing away the grass in our yard in two spots--where we each stood to play catch with a softball. We threw hundreds, thousands of times. We got pretty decent at it. We put the time in. Today, exercise is also one of my healthy habits. I feel best when able to move, sweat, push myself, get some endorphins going.
Some habits, like exercise, can use a day off here and there. But for me, daily gratitude practice is best.
What healthy habits do you have that you most benefit from? Thank yourself for sticking to them today.
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