You run your world through habits.
A habit is an acquired pattern of behavior that often occurs automatically and subconsciously, that is, without conscious thought. Frankly, if we didn't have habits, we would never get anything done. If, every morning, I had to think through all I need to do to prepare for my day, it would drive me crazy.
Habits actually start with thoughts.
How many times did your parents have to remind you to brush your teeth before it became something you did without being told? Eventually, brushing your teeth became automatic and part of your daily routine. Doing it over and over moved the action from your conscious control to being controlled by your subconscious.
Your starter set of habits came through your upbringing.
Your parents' mission during your entire childhood and adolescence was to instill the habits they believed would make you successful as an adult. For example, good personal hygiene and proper etiquette significantly affect your interactions with others, not to mention make you pleasant to be around.
We also have habits in how we think.
Habits of thought are called attitudes. Again, our original set came from early influences such as parents and family, school and friends. They taught us how to habitually think about people who are different from us, whether in skin color, gender, race, age, ethnicity, nationality, or religion. We absorbed their attitudes about work, love, marriage, kids, family, politics.
Life changes.
Getting a job, getting married, buying a house come with new necessary habits of thought and action. Our bosses, colleagues, clients, and competition inspire, train, or even insist on new attitudes and behaviors.
Some of our habits still come in handy. Some don’t, yet we continue to do them anyway. And all the while, the world around us is dramatically changing.
Some questions for your habits of thought and actions:
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What are your habits?
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How old are your habits?
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Are they yours by choice, influence, training or coercion? Does that matter?
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Do yours work for or against you?
