”We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, than is not an act, but a habit ” – ARISTOTLE
I have several favorable topics I like to write and teach about. Habits are one of my favorite theme I like to talk about notably with the youth because it is so much easier to plant positive habits or eradicate negative ones can be destructive for them. It’s easier to work with the younger ones for the reasons that a brain of a 16 years old teen is still less contaminated with the erroneous programms we are all downloading them every day unconsciously. Unfortunately.
What are habits?
Habit(s) are your repeated thinking and behaviors that you repeated so many times throughout your life that they become automatic, such as that you do not have to think about them. You simply act upon. Eg. You brash your teeth every morning; you regularly do workout; you regularly read books; you eat healthy; you are nice and behave well,…Great! These are all example of very good habits that you have acquired throughout life and I am very happy about it.
Habit is also the way you think and believe, hence, your self-believes that impact your life in terms what you do, how do you behave and the end result = ACTION YOU TAKE.
As matter of fact this small word ”habits” define your entire life and make you what you are, your level of happiness, your success as well as how long you gonna live.
The true is that the only habit you are born with is the ability to breathe. All other habits are acquired throughout life. Even your breathing habit has changed such as that you now breathe more rapidly and with less depth than when you were young as a result of people’s cluttered, hectic modern lifestyle. In any case, it’s not to your advantage.
”Can I change habits, notably those negative”?
Yes, you can. If you can change your negative habits and transform them into positive one, the good news is that with this choice you also choose to live a happier life. You choose to be more successful and after all you choose to live longer
Before you decide to change your bad habit(s), be it being addicted to chemical substance, drinking, overeating, gambling, smoking, profanity, bad company, pornography, untidy, arrogant, etc. , you need to know how habits are formed and I have outlined at the beginning of the text.
Once again – Habit(s) are your repeated thinking and behaviors that you repeated so many times throughout your life that they become automatic, such as that you do not have to think about them. You simply act upon.
The fact my friends is that when you are around or with negative and destructive environment or situations long enough you will go from objections to tolerance from acceptance to participation, from participation to enjoyment and it makes no difference how little was to start with. It will grow – e.g. smoking, drinking, gambling, internet addiction, etc.
Bad habits are very easy to acquire but extremely difficult to live with whereby those good ones are sometimes very difficult to acquire but way easier to live with
Agree?
Bad habits start slowly and before you wake up you have it – bad habit has you and the end results can be very often a real disaster . One thing is sure and is that all bad habits are the results of poor and bad learning. Nevertheless, if a bad habit can be learned, it can be unlearned too.
Learning and un-learning habits
In terms of how to eliminate or un-learn all those negative and self-destructive habits in the longer run, I could dwell on hours. Therefore, I am just outlining to you some of the key principles you may consider as a parent or a teen :
First and utmost – Keep your mind clear from all negative mental garbage you are being targeted with 24/7 be it via internet, TV, social networks, bad company, …Keep your mind healthy and clean. Pay attention where you put your attention and focus because ”garbage in – garbage out”
Secondly, keep your body health because your body is your only home.
Thirdly, sound moral – always do what is right. Respect others as you want to be respected .
”The first principle of value that we need to rediscover is this: that all reality hinges on moral foundations. In other words, that this is a moral universe, and that there are moral laws of the universe just as abiding as the physical laws” – Martin Luther King Jr
Dear parents, set an example as a parent because your child pays more attention in what you do rather than what you say.
Remember that it is only you who can decide to eliminate whatever bad habits you wish to get rid of it, of course with support of your loved ones and friends, yet, it is you and ultimately you who will have to act and pay the price if you wanna be rewarded afterwards.
Good luck!
”Good habits formed at youth make all the difference ” – ARISTOTLE
