Aug 09 2008
HABITS ARE NOT SO BAD
It seems to me that about the only time our habits get any attention is when they are BAD HABITS. I don’t think habits are so bad.
We often develop habits out of routine, but we also develop habit out of things we love. And we also seem to LOVE ROUTINE. Nothing throws us for a loop faster than CHANGE! We like to be comfortable, and our comfort zone narrows (naturally, I guess) as we get older.
We like to eat food that we know the taste of, we like to attend events where we know our way around, we like to dine at restaurants we are familiar with, know the staff and they know us, and actually trust that the menu will contain items we know the taste of. (I hate ending a sentence with “of” so I must be doing this intentionally.)
We often strive to change our habits. I guess this refers to our bad habits. And this is difficult, because old habits die hard.
We are encouraged to develop GOOD HABITS. This is also difficult, because new habits die easily. New habits are hard to maintain, probably because they are good for us and that seems to go against our nature, our “routine” that we have spent most of our lives developing. A good routine ensures that we know what we are supposed to do each morning when we are still groggy, and where we are supposed to go (after the bathroom) each day.
I think, mostly, that good habits relate to our health. Perhaps because, mostly, our bad habits relate to health too. So, let’s see…exercise, better diet, avoid risky behavior, get regular checkups, cut out smoking, cut down on alcohol and other empty calories, keep our brains active, stay engaged socially and with the family. Okay. That’s it. Now we know all we have to know. Have a good day and a great life!
And now, try to avoid dying of boredom.
