Motivation Mondays: HABITS
“I never could have done what I have done without the habits of punctuality, order, and diligence, without the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time.” Charles Dickens
Motivation Mondays: HABITS – Our repetitive thoughts and behaviors
Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny. Mahatma Gandhi
Good habits formed at youth make all the difference. Aristotle
What Are Habits? When you think of habits, what comes to mind? Habits are patterns of thought and behavior we adopt and repeat, both consciously and subconsciously. We all have our share of habits, good and bad, that feed our spirit and fuel our minds and bodies daily. If, like me, you wake up early to birds chirping in the trees or to 3 alarm clocks going off one after another, you’ll understand. Habits are part of our makeup, and we are motivated to keep them going at almost any cost. When I started researching for this post, I was reminded of some of the stories and tips I’ve heard over the years. Depending on the source, bad/good habits can form in 3/21/30 days and change in 21/30 days… or even longer! It has always struck me as fascinating because habits are easy to pick up and hard to break, especially the bad ones. Whether we want to admit it or not, part of our human makeup comes from our exposure to others, our desire to follow patterns of behavior we stick to, and our ties to socioeconomic influences, including cultural norms we cultivate at home and in our communities. For example, if we surround ourselves with folks who enjoy Y, we’re more likely to join in. On the other hand, we can go against the grain and try an approach that works for us, which could lead us down a better or worse path.
Habits Begin in Our Mind: As I read many of the articles I’ve shared in this post, one thing became crystal clear: our habits begin in our mind and in our thoughts and behaviors. If we are to adopt new and better habits and abandon old, bad habits, the work must begin in our minds; the mind is a very powerful part of our being, and it has tremendous sway over our choices and decisions, so before we can even embark on a new path to exchanging bad habits for good ones, we must start with our inner dialogue and make friends with it. Of the many articles I read for this post, I enjoyed all the tips and insights they shared; Reader’s Digest offered a fabulous 12 Step approach: Acknowledge, Isolate, Pair, Want, Rebel, Honor Yourself, Plan, Act, Replace, Enlist Reward, and Forgive. What I love is that the first step is to acknowledge the habit, and the final step is to forgive ourselves and others we might want to blame. If we are to heal our old habits and move forward, we must start from a place of honesty and introspection, and move from there to actively work at changing.
A Story: Make Friends With Your Mind
Tanzan and Ekido were once traveling together down a muddy Road. A heavy rain was still falling. Coming around a bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the intersection.
“Come on, girl,” said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud. Ekido did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. Then he no longer could restrain himself.
“We monks don’t go near females,” he told Tanzan, “especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?”
“I left the girl there,” said Tanzan. “Are you still carrying her?” Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones
READ: The Habit Change Workbook: How To Break Bad Habits and Form Good Ones by James Claiborn & Cherry Pedrick R.N.
Reader’s Digest – How to Break a Habit in 12 Steps
HuffPost – 5 Unexpected Ways To Break A Bad Habit
WebMD – 3 Easy Steps to Breaking Bad Habits: by Denice Mann
“The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.” Samuel Johnson
Motivation Mondays: HABITS – Our repetitive thoughts and behaviors
CHANGE HABITS: Breaking Bad Behaviors by Owen Fitzpatrick
Habit 1: Be Proactive
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Habit 3: Put First Things First
Habit 4: Think Win/Win
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
Habit 6: Synergize
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw – Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Some rules are nothing but old habits that people are afraid to change. Therese Anne Fowler
Some years ago, I attended a conference where Mr. Covey spoke about his popular book, and the main takeaway was that we can replace negative habits with more successful ones through commitment and effort. Often, people chicken out and drop the ball after sticking to a program for a little while. As Covey suggested in his book above, we need to be proactive in shifting directions and putting our most cherished thoughts and plans first. We need to remind ourselves that this is part of the struggle to find our footing, and it’s perfectly normal to falter, misstep, or fall off the path. The key to succeeding at ending a bad habit and adopting a new one is that we MUST get up and use the strategies offered by the writers in the curated articles. Whether we choose to go cold turkey and quit a bad habit, or solicit the support of a professional and concerned friends to see us through a much-needed change, we have to start with our self-talk, be ready to face the truth, stay true to who we are, and work on the forgiveness part of our plan. Once we get our new habit underway, we need to remove the temptations/triggers that led us astray and replace them with healthier options. Quitting bad habits is tougher if we stay in the same situation, respond to the same triggers, or surround ourselves with the same temptations.
How can we stay motivated with new habits? First, we need to clarify why change matters to us. We need to explore options that make sense for us and … the point is that there isn’t a common cure-all for everyone. We need to keep our eyes focused on our expected outcomes and the prize/reward we will receive for it. An important part of our strategy must include sharpening our saw by reaching for resources and strategies that will help us stay on course. When I quit smoking many years ago, I used NLP self-hypnosis to drop the habit, and it worked for me permanently. I made sure to get rid of everything that reminded me of the habit and stayed away from places and things that were triggers; at least until I felt deep down that the habit was buried. We can try a wide range of strategies, but for any of them to work, we must be ready to go for it. It must start with our thoughts and behavior… that is imperative.
A Story: Seek To Understand, To Be Understood
Two monks were washing their bowls in the river when they noticed a scorpion that was drowning. One monk immediately scooped it up and set it upon the bank. In the process, he was stung. He went back to washing his bowl, and the scorpion fell in again. The monk saved the scorpion and was again stung.
The other monk asked him, “Friend, why do you continue to save the scorpion when you know its nature is to sting?”
“Because,” the monk replied, “to save it is my nature.”
A Story: Old Habits Die Hard…
When the spiritual teacher and his disciples began their evening meditation, the cat who lived in the monastery made such noise that it distracted them. So the teacher ordered the cat to be tied up during evening practice. Years later, when the teacher died, the cat continued to be tied up during meditation. And when the cat eventually died, another cat was brought to the monastery and tied up. Centuries later, the spiritual teacher’s learned descendants wrote scholarly treatises on the religious significance of tying up a cat for meditation practice.
READ: Lifehacker – Top 10 Ways to Break Bad Habits by Melanie Pinola
WikiHow – How to Form a Good Habit
Washington Post – How to build good habits – and actually make them stick by Brigid Schulte
LifeHack – 18 Tricks to Make New Habits Stick by Scott H Young
Motivation Mondays details are below. Join in! The themes for August and September 2016 are:
SEPTEMBER
09/05 – Labor Day, International Day of Charity, 8 International Literacy Day
09/12 – 15 Day of Democracy Day, 17 Constitution Day
09/19 – 21 International Day of Peace/ World Peace Day, World Rhino Day
09/26 – National Preparedness Month, National Childhood Cancer Awareness, National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, National School Success Month, National Childhood Obesity Awareness
OCTOBER
10/03 – 2- 4 Rosh Hashanah, 6 German-American Day
10/10 – 10 Columbus Day, World Mental Health Day, 11 International Day of the Girl, 12 Yom Kippur
10/17 – 16 World Food Day / FAO World Food Day
10/24 – 24 United Nations Day, 28 National Chocolate Day, 29 National Cat Day, 30 Diwali
10/31 — 31 Halloween
Are You Looking for Ways to Stay Creative in 2016?
– Join the Daily Post Post-a-day or Post-a-week Challenge.
— Join the BlogHer Writing Lab
More Below!
“Good habits are worth being fanatical about.” John Irving
Motivation Mondays: HABITS – Our repetitive thoughts and behaviors
WatchWellCast: How to Break Bad Habits
Sow a thought, and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny. Samuel Smiles
Successful people are simply those with successful habits. Brian Tracy
Difficult times disrupt your conventional ways of thinking and push you to forge better habits of thought, performance and being. Robin S. Sharma
What If We Fail with a New Habit? Get back up and try, try, try again. Perfection is not required. Over a year ago, I decided to write a weekly Motivation post to help myself and others shift our thinking about Mondays. Initially, I made a lot of excuses about why it was a waste of time… Then, with a little prompting from the good folks at WordPress, I took baby steps and stuck with it. As any motivational writer would admit, we write about what we need to learn too, so each week I do my homework with anticipation and gratitude for the topic I’ve chosen. I do my homework because I know that by learning and sharing information, and motivating others to stay the course, I motivate myself to do the same… one hand washes the other.
I know that by sticking to the habit of writing my Monday posts, I am staying committed to making incremental changes in my thinking and my habits. Now, is that a powerful way to shift away from limited thinking and ideas? Of course, because when we make the effort to explore subjects that hold our attention and learn from them, we are feeding our body and mind a diet of positive food/ideas. Frankly, the materials I curate give me enormous insights and help me see old habits in new ways. Plus, reader feedback helps me clarify my position on each topic I explore. So, I’ve gone from someone who saw Monday as a ho-hum day to one who looks forward to the beginning of each week with delight. Try it! What habits are you working on? What tips would you share that worked for you?
A Story: How We Form Habits
Soyen Shaku, the first Zen teacher to come to America, said: “My heart burns like fire, but my eyes are as cold as dead ashes.” He made the following rules, which he practiced every day of his life.
In the morning before dressing, light incense and meditate.
Retire at a regular hour. Partake of food at regular intervals. Eat with moderation and never to the point of satisfaction.
Receive a guest with the same attitude you have when alone. When alone, maintain the same attitude you have in receiving guests.
Watch what you say, and practice what you say.
When an opportunity comes, do not let it pass you by, yet always think twice before acting.
Do not regret the past. Look to the future.
Have the fearless attitude of a hero and the loving heart of a child.
When you retire, sleep as if you had entered your last sleep. Upon awakening, leave your bed behind you instantly, as if you had cast away a pair of old shoes. Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones
READ: The 3 R’s of Habit Change: How To Start New Habits That Actually Stick and How to Break A Bad Habit by James Clear
Success.com – 7 Steps to Break Your Bad Habits: Is it simple? No, it’s hard—but it’s far from impossible if you follow the right action plan. Chris Widener
WikiHow – How to Break a Habit
Have a productive week ahead!
Any Zen Antics stories via Goodweb.cn
Positive Motivation Tip: Be mindful of your habits and honor yourself.
Motivation Mondays is open to anyone who wants to share a motivational quote, photo, personal challenge, or post that encourages others to start the week on an upbeat note.
Basic Instructions: Each week, I will have a Motivation word to help us create a response. (See listed words for the months above/below)
Email address: You may email or share your post as a comment, and I will add it to the round-up of related posts. email it to: contact(@)mirthandmotivation(.)com
Category tag: – Share your post using Motivation Mondays
Twitter hashtag: – Use this on Twitter #MotvnM
Dedicated Page: There is a dedicated page for Motivation Mondays. It has the same instructions and will include other helpful tools and a link to the round-up
Facebook Page: MotivationOnMonday.s Join our page and add your post and/or any motivational piece you think will help others.
Facebook Community: We have a Facebook community forum to complement the page. It’s another way to share uplifting posts and thoughts. Please join in and add your voice.
Badge: – I created a fun badge using PicMonkey’s free photo editing tools. You can create your own, useWordPress’’ integrated tool on your blog, or you are welcome to use mine. (see dedicated page)
Tag: – Motivation Mondays
Hashtag: – #MotvnM
Related Posts
- Motivation Mondays: World Mental Health Day (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: AWE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: DILEMMA (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: PEACE & GRATITUDE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Universal Values (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: LABOR & CHARITY (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: PREPARED (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: WOMEN’S EQUALITY DAY #QUOTES (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: RELAXATION (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: WINNING (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: UNITY (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: FRIENDSHIP (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Matters Of The Heart (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Pokémon GO #motivationmonday (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Happy 4th of July – Independence Day (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: SUMMER #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: International Day of Yoga #Yoga4SDGs #YogaDay (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Father’s Day #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: The United State Of Women #StateofWomen (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Memorial Day (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Encouragement (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Serendipity (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Add Value (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Mother’s Day (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Optimism (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Earth Day (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Sing Your Song (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: YOUTH (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: The Greatest Gift (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Expect the Unexpected (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Women’s History Month (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #IWD2016 (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: STINKING THINKING #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: PAIN #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Presidents’ Day (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Chinese New Year (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Valentine’s Day Tips (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: OPPOSITES (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: I Have A Dream #MLKDay (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: POSSESSIONS #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: ANEW #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: THE JOURNEY – #YEAROFTHANKS (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: HOLIDAY SPIRIT #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Awareness – Honoring BKS Iyengar’s Memory (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: GIVING SEASON #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: KINDNESS #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Happy Thanksgiving #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Honoring Universal Children’s Day (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Honoring All Veterans (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: LEGACY #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: FEAR #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: COMMUNITY #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: DISCOVERY #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: SMILE #mondaymotivation (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Good Neighbors & Goodwill #GoodNeighborDay (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Partnerships For Peace (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: POSITIVE THINKING (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: LABOR & LITERACY (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: HOPE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: FAILURE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: PURPOSE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: CONTROL (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: TIME (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: GRACE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: WEALTH (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: WORRY (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: FREEDOM (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: TRUST (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: DETERMINATION (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: SACRIFICE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: POSSIBILITIES (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: SIMPLICITY (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Honoring SERVICE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: WHAT’S A WELLNESS, FITNESS, HEALTHY LIFESTYLE? (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: HAPPINESS (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: APPRECIATION (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: MINDFULNESS (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: GROWTH (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: MISTAKES (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: PERFECTION (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: STRENGTH (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: HEALTH (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Responsibility (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Patience Is A Virtue (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: READ – Honoring Dr.Seuss (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: CELEBRATION (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Presidents Day & Leadership (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: LOVE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: ATTITUDE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Comfort Zone (mirthandmotivation.com)
- Motivation Mondays: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Most Inspired Quotes (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Perspective (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: SILENCE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Regrets (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Joy! (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Compassion (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: The Busy Busy Trap (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Forgiveness (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Acceptance (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: GRATITUDE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Forgiveness (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Courage (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Dream (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: CHANGE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: (mirthandmotivation)
- RIP Zig Ziglar: King of Motivation… (mirthandmotivation)
- Reflections: Be The Change… (mirthandmotivation)
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos – via Wikipedia and/or Habits, Gambling, drinking, exercising, dancing, dieting, via Pixabay
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
Trackbacks
- Motivation Mondays: United Nations Day | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: SCARED | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: CROSSROADS | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: SUPERMOON | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: THANKSGIVING | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: LISTEN | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: ABUNDANCE | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: HUMAN RIGHTS | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: The Holiday Season | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: What Matters? | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: A NEW START #2017SurvivalTips | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Monday: PERMISSION | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Why Does #MLKDAY Matter? | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Chinese New Year of The Rooster | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Transformation | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: TODAY | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Happy Valentine’s Day | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Honoring Presidents’ Day | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: STAY CENTERED | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #BeBoldForChange | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: NURTURE | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: International Day of Happiness & Spring | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: A QUESTION Of BALANCE | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: World Health Day – Depression #LetsTalk | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Reflections On Easter & Passover | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Earth Day for Environmental & Climate Literacy | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Live Life Fully | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: REST | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Celebrate Mother’s Day! #mothersday | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: EXPECTATIONS | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: BREATHE | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Honoring Memorial Day | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: MODERATION | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Father’s Day Matters | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Relief or Relieved? | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: PERSEVERANCE | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Dream BIGGER – Independence Day | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: MINDSET – #WorldPopulationDay | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: ANGER | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: PARENTING | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Revisiting Friendship | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Life Is a GIFT | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: ASK | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: ECLIPSE | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: STRUGGLE | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: LABOR of LOVE | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Patriot Day – Remembering 9/11 | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: STAY STEADFAST | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Suicide Prevention Awareness Month | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: SAILING | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: PERCEPTION | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: LOYALTY | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: UN Day – Transcend Differences | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Overcoming Adversity | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Be GRATEFUL | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: THANKFUL | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: GIVING BACK | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Monday: HUBRIS | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: PRESCIENCE | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: MORAL COMPASS | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Cherish Christmas & Holidays | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Happy New Year | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Stumbling Blocks | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Walk in the Light #MLKDay | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Own It! | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Disrupt Your Paradigms | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Heart Of Transitions | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Beyond Valentine’s Day | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Black Panther Movie Review – Lessons On Leadership | Mirth and Motivation
- Motivation Mondays: Live Life Fully - Mirth and Motivation
My bad habit is probably picking at my nails.
Another habit is eating chocolate on a daily basis. I like that one.
I liked reading the story you shared at the end how we form habits.
Love these habits! And I love your pictures!
Good advice! I need to start thinking of habits like this!
This is a very informative post. Thanks for sharing.
Reblogged this on reinventingmesite and commented:
This goes with part of my last blog when I mentioned how our thoughts lead to our feelings then our feelings lead to our actions. I like a lot of this blogger’s work. I hope you all enjoy it.
They say to form new habits takes doing the activity over and over. I need to form a habit of spending more time with my boys
I love that quote from Ghandi. Particularly about actions becoming habit. I forget the timeframe for an action to become a habit, but it’s not that long, surprisingly. I struggle most with the “perfection” part – I’m a perfectionist and I tend to be all or none – I am either eating ALL the cake, or not even a bite 🙂
This blog post is really talking about reality, about us sometimes. I like how positive this post is, and I’m always a heavy fan of an article or a topic that speaks about habit. It is something that we should constantly consider and focus on, cause this has been taken out of the context most of the time.
I know I’ve had trouble establishing new habits related to producing content. You’ve done a great job staying on track with your Monday posts. Sometimes I don’t even realize I have certain habits until they’re mentioned to me by family!
Yes I agree with you, your words become an action
We all have to make our own habits and try to pick just the good ones. Bad habits can make your life miserable.
Oh boy – I knew habits would come up at some point. I have to work on self-sabotage. Bad habit. I am too hard on myself. I need to show more compassion – towards myself. I don’t treat other people like that – why do I make it a habit to do it to myself.
Wow, this is such a powerful article
I like the part of making friends with your mind — I recently just learnt that.
Thank you for this!
One of your best writings Eliz, have you ever considered putting MM’s into a book, most of the work is done!
I am thinking of doing that, and by God’s grace, I will.
OMG! I live by those habits! And they really make my life so much better and my dreams so much easier to reach! Kudos to you for practicing them too. Keep it up! 🙂
This is such a great post & a wonderful way to start a new week
It’s funny how it actually works to change a habit in 30 days. All it takes is for us to be ambitious for a month and then we will start doing our new habit naturally.
I left the girl there,” said Tanzan. “Are you still carrying her? We carry the girl around a lot esp. a bad habit and we dont even think about it. I am so happy I read this post Eliza. I have a bad habit of biting my fingers..the skin by the corners of the nail…It drives my son crazy..!
I also drink energy drinks…late! Bad habit. not cool for sleeping lol!
Thanks for sharing!
I am a total HABIT-ER… I used to be way worse, but now I have at least 2 I can NEVER EVER break but honestly, they’re VERY HEALTHY habits so I am A-OK with them sticking around!
Letting go of your bad habits are not always easy, but I think it depends on person on how they handle it.,
This is a wonderful post, Elizabeth. Habits are what make the world go around and maybe it is just me, but I have found they take a lot longer than 30 days to change. Thanks for the link to the 12 Step Process, I have bookmarked it to read later.
It is so true, we are all filled with good and bad habits. We spend so much time trying to break the bad ones sometimes instead of focussing on the good.
I think habits are something that most often comes from your childhood and from the people around you. I used to collect different kind of spoons people use for long and when my kids came my habit has changed a lot. Almost every habit starts with our thoughts & approach towards it.
I have heard that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. My favorite habits are ones that I didn’t even think about as I started the process of making them a habit. I am in a habit now of writing every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
I have a lot of habits, some good but some are bad. I’d like to break my bad habit cycle and focus more on good habits.
The story about the scorpion really spoke to me. “To save is my nature” you should be true to yourself no matter what’s around you.
Ahhh habits!!! Some of them are great while others ughh…. must break!
That’s absolutely one of my favorite quotes – it’s hanging in my office!
Habits are hard to change. it takes a strong desire and a lot of willpower I think.
Habits definitely are hard to change at least the bad ones are.
earlier today i was harping on my bad habits and how i need to break them but, i think the healthy thing to do is focus on the good ones and then there will be no room for the bad ones.
breaking bad habits can be difficult. it needs a process and commitment
I like how you wrote about clarifying the reason for the importance of the change one wants to make. Without a compelling reason, I believe motivation runs out, and discipline leaves us. A reason is what carries us through the times, when we don’t want to follow through. Blessings!
Building new habits can be so hard to do!! I love this, I know for me it takes a couple weeks for a new habit to stick
So truthfully I have a lot of bad habits. BUT I have been able to break some. For instance I no longer bite my nails which I did for about 20 years. GO ME!
Mind control is the most crucial thing which is needed to improve our habits. Really an inspirational post with great quotes.
People need to read truth’s like this a lot of people have underestimated their minds, its much more powerful than we are lead to believe.
Habits are super important but the good ones because we can have bad habits that will never benefits us. Love the motivational posts as always 🙂
Have you heard or read Gretchen Rubin’s book? Happiness Project? It’s all about creating habits. Reminds me of this post!
our habits define who we all are, good or bad. thanks alot MirthandMotivation for this one.
Love the Ghandi and Aristotle quotes. I have created habits that make my life wonderful. Should have done it sooner 🙂
Habits can be such a great thing or such a bad thing! I think forming positive habits are great for work ethic especially and getting things done. Great post!
Too true. Habits do begin in our mind. Interesting read. I knew that it takes 21 days for a habit to become an established pattern, but hadn’t realized 3 days would work as well.
I quit cold turkey eight years ago. It’s one awful habit that I’m so proud of breaking, and I have never looked back since!
Habits are so important to have especially when they are good habits. And you are definitely right if we fail at creating a new habit we just have to keep trying until we get it right.
They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. I am working on something repeatedly and hope that it becomes a habit. There are a lot I would want to change and I cant change if I do not form a good habit.
There are good habits we should nurture and promote which help us succeed. However, if we have bad habits, we should acknowledge them as such and ditch them as soon as possible. – Fred
Habits take time to create…I believe they say it takes at least 30 days for a new habit to begin to form. In my experience, it takes much longer to get rid of bad or negative habits.
Your posts are ALWAYS so uplifting. I love it 😉 thanks for putting out such amazing ideas!
I always love to learn how to keep motivated in new thing. I need a good motivation
I particularly liked the scorpion story. You can’t change your nature, can you?
I am always enlightened and uplifted by your posts. I certainly agree, I should not regret the past, and I should look to the future. Whether I failed or won in the past. The fact remains, they are in the past. So I have to keep going. Keep moving. Thank you once again for this motivation!
I do have some bad habits. Like picking my nails.
Others aren’t so bad.
Oh no! I have a bad habits. I always use my phone while all lights are off
Such a positive and motivating post! I enjoy reading posts like this early in the morning to get me going for the day 🙂
Mind over matter definitely applies to habits. I find myself having to work harder to overcome the thoughts in my mind that might cause me to continue bad habits. But when I get my mind on my side, the outcomes are always a win.
Habits can both be something good and not. We should develop the good ones and try to change the bad ones by starting to change things up.
I have the worst time starting new good habits it seems. I know its more likely to stick the more I repeat the habit successfully.
What is it that they say? Habits build character and character defines our destiny. Or something like that 🙂
There are so many ways that our habits affect our lives, from our daily routine to the way we think. Which is why it’s important to have good habits and to try your best to get rid of the bad. I really enjoyed reading your stories for today’s topic, they remind of what it’s like when you choose to have a habit that revolves around positivity.
So interesting! Habits, no matter how small… can be so important! I like them 🙂
I’ve been doing my best to make it a habit to follow a schedule every day. It’s so important to find something that works for you and keep up with it. After all, that’s what leads to success.
It’s October already. I’m too late to join 🙁
Healthy Habits are super important! I try to keep it healthy!
like I always tell people… you can’t drop a habit without picking something else up.
What a beautiful way to change our habits! I just love, love the stories as well. The scorpion one really spoke to be. “Because to save it is in my nature.
I love the Charles Dickens quote! It reminded me I need to focus on one thing at a time. I tend to spread myself too thin and do many things at once. It never works out well in the end.
Wow this is all great information! I really liked when you said, “If we are to heal our old habits and move forward, we must start from a place of honesty and introspection, and move from there to actively work at changing.” I believe this is true!
Thanks for the encouragement
Such a good posy. Takes a bit of determination to break those bad habits.
I’m so bad at creating new, better habits and leaving the bad habits behind. Thanks for all the links… especially the reader’s digest link. I have a lot of work to do!
good habits do make a good youth I believe that whole heartedly
Changing my inner dialogue has been a struggle for me. I’ve made baby steps, but have so much more work to do. I will check out the 12 Step Approach and the other resources you shared!
The first story, “Make Friends with Your Mind” is something I`ve read a few times before. It`s really fascinating how sometimes even though the past is past, we still carry in our minds what has been done. The essence of the story is we can be doing one thing and thinking about another. We can create new habits by letting the mind, action and our very own self to meet.
✿ Grace ✿
I know I could use some new good habits lately! I know I have to work hard to keep up good habits when they are new
interesting post. timely read as well as i am honestly trying to have a healthier menthal health
Motivation Mondays are a great way to start off your Mondays for sure. he he
It’s been a while since I stumble upon on blogs like this. Well, as for me, habits come in 2 types – the good and the bad. Only if the bad habit can be avoided just like that, I must have been in different place by now. Anyhow, I am sure one can fight it, though. It’s just a matter of thinking after all. Also, I consider having a habit a beneficial as well if that habit is a good one.
The quote of Mahatma Gandhi is very moving and I believe that our life today is essentially the sum of our habits. If we are happy or sad, healthy or unhealthy and successful or unsuccessful, all depends upon our habits!
So true! I can relate this to my workout. The only way we can stay fit is by cultivating good habits that way we can be consistent on what we do
I started a weight loss journey at the beginning of the year. I must say that breaking the habits of the foods I was eating and my lack of workouts was not an easy feat. But I love how you said that you need to begin with the end in mind. That is what I had to do to get to where I am today on this journey. Such great advice! Thanks!
Man controls habits or habits control man? Both true according to me. That is why it is always good to inculcate good habits for hygiene and Behavior.
Before, I thought it would only take about 21 days to make something a habit. I was wrong! It takes a bit longer apparently. But I did this with my soda drinking habit. I was struggling for the first few weeks and months. And I told my husband not to drink it either to not tempt me. But 2 years later, I still haven’t drank a single sip! So proud of myself!
We all have good and bad habits. It simple something we cannot escape from. Although the good thing about habits is that we can work on changing the bad ones to good ones.
Good habits can make your day, week, year, life far better than bad ones. That’s for sure. 🙂 That’s why our parents start drilling them into us early (and us with ours). 🙂 My youngest son’s bad habit right now is nail biting!! Hoping he breaks that one very, very soon.
Wonderful topic this week! It’s really interesting if take the time to determine and analyze our habits, and the reasons for how they’ve been formed.
It is so hard to break habits. I am working on changing some of mine and but it definitely takes your intentional effort.
Breaking bad habits is a challange at least for me. The older I get the more of those habits I have. I want people to tell me if I do something disturbing because I want to get rid of those habits.
Perfect for a Saturday night read ♥. I love long and useful posts. Breaking a habit is hard but not impossible. Creating a new one seems harder for me than breaking an old one. Most of the time I encounter that you need 21 days to form a new one but for me, it takes more than 30 :))
The story about Tanzan and Ekido monks are famous stories amongst the chinese. The morale for that story was to not hold on to the past and move ahead…
Very deep post, those bad habits. My worst habit is probably procrastination. I just can’t help myself.
Habits are okay as long as they are healthy habits. Thanks for sharing!
When I think about habits I think about my daily regular routine. All the things that I’m used to doing everyday of my life may it be for myself or for my family
I think it’s a bit difficult to change a habit but if you really work hard into it it’s doable.
It was a educational post! Made me realize that I should learn over and over again over things that we thought it’s simple! Thankyou for sharing this. 🙂
It’s funny I should stumble over this particular post today – Recently I’ve been thinking quite a bit about my own habits and which ones suit me, as well as which ones do not and need to be adjusted. The story about the monks tying up the cat made me laugh, but I loved the bit at the end that included the Soyen Shaku rules for habit building. I’ve written those down to keep; I hope you won’t mind.