It’s that time again. The time of year when all things are coming to a close. If you celebrate Christmas, it’s tomorrow. I find this time of year to be great for reflecting on habits. They are formed by repetitive behaviors. Not in the way someone plagued by OCD will repeat behaviors. More like the things we do over and over, like following well-worn pathways through our lives.
“Good” or “Bad”? It’s not that simple.
Just like in our blog of a few weeks ago where we talked about “good” thoughts, I want to start by clarifying this. We seem to assign judgement to habits from the outside a lot. For years, I criticized and berated my mom for always being late. It was a chronic joke in our family. I would have called that a “bad” habit.
What I never stopped to think about until after she had passed was how it served her. She was eternally optimistic about how many tasks she could fit in before leaving for an appointment. In the rush of getting ready, she was able to forget her anxiety about going for a few minutes. And that was a big deal.
What habits do you want to change?
Let’s turn that lens inward. I invite you to evaluate—
- Three habits you have. Pick any three habits of yours, good or bad in your current thinking.
- Reflect on their origin stories. What behavior am I repeating? What is my attitude about it? What belief is behind it? What thought is at the root of it all?
- Question the origin story. Does that thought/belief/attitude/behavior chain serve me well? Or is it harmful to me?
- What are you going to do about it? Every journey starts with one step. What’s one small thing you can do to reset in 2022?
You can do it. I believe in you. You should, too. Spread some of that good cheer to yourself this year.
Happy reflecting and happy holidays.
