I’m currently reading a fascinating book called The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg. The book has effectively compiled many case studies and research from various facets of society showing how having effective and positive habits has the ability to improve our lives.
There’s been a few nice nuggets that I’ve learned by reading this book that I feel I can apply to my own life for the better. But the more important take-away has been the validation that I’m not nuts! You see, I love routines and I love habits! But I’ve always thought of myself as being strange for following the habits that I do. What I love about this book is that it has made me consciously aware that I would not be where I am in my life without the habits that I follow. This makes me feel grateful and “normal”.
I, of course, know there are such things as good habits and bad habits. One thing that research has shown in this book is that you can only get rid of a habit that is detrimental to your health or well-being if you replace it with some other habit. So no need to feel bad if you have a hard time going cold turkey. The brain is fascinating, it can’t differentiate between good and bad…it just knows it wants any habit.
So I feel great that I give my brain habits to follow…literally thousands, if not tens of thousands. Some that are hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, annually and everything in between.
So rather than feeling awkward about doing certain things in an innate fashion, I’m going to celebrate it. My habits are what make me who I am, and that’s great!