New Year, New Habits
Cheri Harvey, January 9, 2018
At the beginning of each new year, we have a tendency to think about resolutions, goals, etc.
What I would like to propose today is that we think about new habits. Whether or not we realize it, our habits rule so much of our lives. We get into bad habits, usually without even realizing it, and it takes awareness and effort to break those habits and replace them with new habits that serve our highest good.
I’ve been studying about habits in the past few months. One thing I learned about is “Keystone Habits.” A keystone habit is a habit that if you adopt it, it will not only improve that one thing, but will help create success in other areas as well. Cool, huh?!
What is one bad habit that you need to drop and what would be a keystone habit that you could adopt? Mine is setting a specific bed time and short routine when that time comes so I get in bed at a time so I will sleep through all the important sleep cycles and wake up shortly before my alarm goes off at a consistent time each morning.
Perhaps identifying a keystone habit can be a little daunting. If so, here are a few suggestions to help you get on your way.
Instead of thinking about your entire life and all your habits, think about one category of your life at a time and then pick only one to start with!
For each category of your life below, think of a habit you’d like to drop and also a habit (practical and doable!) that you can do instead that will serve your highest good:
- Habits related to your body and health
- Habits related to your intellect and mental wellness
- Habits related to your spiritual life and practices
- Habits related to your relationships (family, friends, work, church, etc.)
- Habits related to your finances
- Habits related to your home and home life
Now that you’ve identified some habits to drop and some to adopt, choose the ONE habit from one category that you think will make the biggest difference in that specific area and that could likely lead to positive changes in the other areas also.
If you want some accountability, reply and tell me what you chose, and/or forward this email to a friend or family member and include your Keystone Habit choice. Once you get that new habit established for a month or so, keep doing it, and also add ONE other habit from one of your other categories if you feel ready.
My keystone habit is setting a specific bed time and short routine when that time comes so I get in bed and sleep through all the important sleep cycles and wake up shortly before my alarm goes off at a consistent time each morning. This will benefit my body and mind since so much repair and essential physical and mental processes happen during the various see cycles throughout the night. It also helps having a regular schedule during awake hours and makes scheduling and doing tasks and projects easier and more consistent. It creates time to include exercise, preparing health food, meditation, relaxation, recreation, etc.
I have gotten off track with my keystone habit over the holidays, but am restarting and getting back on track. Live and learn, right?! Keep moving forward!
Let’s do this!