Habits are what we do habitually, automatically or without thinking. They are very powerful! An old poem puts it like this:
Sow a thought, reap an act
Sow an act, reap a habit
Sow a habit, reap a character
Sow a character, reap a destiny.
A lot of new research has emerged of late about not only the power of habits but about the difficulty we experience in breaking bad habits and establishing new healthy habits. One of the keys to developing new habits is to have some accountability for the goals or rituals you are seeking to embed in your life. This could be a friend that checks up on you or even better an App that can be your daily coach.
There are now a huge variety of apps that have been designed to help you form good habits. Recently, I've started using the Strides App and I find it really helpful. It syncs across different devices and has a variety of types of goals and habits you can measure. The basic version is free and it's very easy to use. Check out a review or a video demo if you are interested.
My habits are vital to my disciplined lifestyle and having a tool that holds me accountable is very helpful. I DO have good intentions but if they are not pushed to me and if I don't measure my progress, I can often drift and fall short. This leads to frustration and ill-health. In contrast, living daily by habits that shape my life positively creates joy and a sense of fulfillment.
What new habits are you going to form or strengthen in the new year? It's all about becoming the person you really want to be.
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