H is for Habits #AtoZChallenge on #wellness

It is the dawn of the Zombie apocalypse. As the sun creeps over the horizon, I bid my last farewell to the moon. The pale and waxy color of my face is set into deep contrast by the black rings around my eyes. With each ray of sunshine, my body feels even limper and I find myself creeping to the kitchen, wherein I find that saving elixir of life. Coffee. With each sip, some color appears on my skin. The aroma awakens my senses, readies my mind to the new day. Sound familiar? Many of us follow a morning ritual, such as this. A coffee habit, some call it.

Habits. Each moment. Never ending.

The rituals we follow set deep patterns in our mind. Try to change one and you may note how difficult this is. Just try driving a different route to work. In a moment of absent-mindedness you find yourself taking the left turn you were planning on avoiding, due to the increase of traffic on that street. Silently we growl at ourselves for our own folly. Now we find ourselves in a traffic jam.  On the other hand, though, it is scary. What if in that moment a car had come to a full stop in front of you?

I’ll let that sink in, while you gulp down your next mouthful of that aromatic drink. Take a breath. Habits, they are human. We are human. It is the way our brain functions. Here however comes the secret, the secret to success.

If you want something in your life to change, you need to change your habits.

You cannot expect exercise for a few days and reap the results, when you quit. You cannot expect to go on a diet and lose weight and keep that weight off once you go back to your normal eating pattern. This is why “they” talk about “lifestyle change”. It is like that with everything, not just your personal health. You cannot expect to be a better writer and never practice writing.

Change happens with your habits.

Now here’s the thing. We all slip up. We may all take that left turn we were trying to avoid. The thing is not to give up just because of one failure. If you keep on doing something, keep on doing something, keep on doing something – then eventually it will become a habit. Replace your bad habits with good ones. Don’t beat yourself up if you find yourself falling back on old patterns. Get yourself up and try again.

“It’s easy to form new good habits with daily repetition.” Waylon Lewis

About the Author

Sarina often sat on the peaks of the dunes of Southern Africa watching the ocean tide drift in. A daydreamer, often dreaming up stories for lands somewhere over the rainbow. She is a mother, a wife, a blogger and an overall creative spirit. Above all, she is a human being.

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