I want to use this space this week to talk about habits. Often the focus, particularly at this time of year, is on breaking bad habits and again particularly at this time of year the bad habits relate to eating and exercise. There are all sorts of adverts about a new diet, or a new workout routine, on TV and in the media, and the message is often built around the bad habits we have. Breaking a bad habit implies withdrawing, taking something away which immediately affects our mindset about
making a change.
Instead let’s think about changing and creating NEW habits. They are going to take at least 30 days to really become a habit, but this is where the magic is held. You see I believe that habits have to become systems. In fact I prefer the word system … its not as exciting as habit, because habit sounds like it’s a quick fix, whereas system implies taking time, developing, growing, patience. But it isn’t easy to begin a new habit or develop a new system. For example you may do a 15 minutes or
30 minutes Pilates session for the first time and not necessarily feel any physical benefit. However if you commit to doing these sessions regularly (everyday perhaps) then long term you will feel the benefits. You are creating a system for yourself that becomes a good habit of investing in your own wellbeing.
Sometimes the thought of engaging with something for a given time, such as 30 minutes each day, sounds impossible, but if this is broken down into achievable components, then it creates a starting place. Thinking about Pilates it could start by just placing your mat down, standing, checking posture, breathing and recruiting — 3 minutes max… Could you do this every day, at the start of your day for a week? It is the first step towards creating a system for yourself.
The same could be said about mindful meditation — I know that some of us think that sitting peacefully for 20 minutes sounds impossible, and if you tried this it might feel so difficult that after a couple of days you would stop, because you would feel you weren’t benefiting from it. However, if we think about the long term effects of building in some mindful time for ourselves every day, then we should look at creating a system by which we can do this successfully. So it might be that you
practise some mindfulness based around a particular activity or job that you do daily without thinking. Such as cleaning your teeth — if you say that you will spend two minutes cleaning your teeth but be mindful while performing this that could be the starting place for a new system of mindful practise for you.
So, instead of habits, think systems — because in five years time you will feel the benefits of the systems you put into place now and you won't ever regret it.
