Take control of your Habits

I've been out for a day because I have so much errands that I need to do first. Adulting is very tiring. Lol. So how is everyone here? I hope you are all doing good. By the way, do you have any habits? Or did you develop a habit to change your life? Yes, me too. At first I was so unproductive and was just pursuing happiness through material things. Little did I know, that this was wrong. So I did was change some bad habits of mine and develop some.

You'll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The direction of our lives is decided more by the daily choices we make than anything else and these choices are more influential to the person we are becoming than we often realize. Habits become ingrained automatic and creep into our lives so subtly that they become routine. So if you want to change your life, start by changing one thing that you do every day. Here's a list of seven simple daily habits that will positively change your life. Each of them have changed my own life personally and I know they will for you as well.

1. The three item to-do list

The three item to-do list has literally revolutionized my days every morning with my cup of coffee. I write down the three most important tasks that I need to complete that day. The short three item list will keep you focused on your priorities but more than that it will allow you to feel a sense of accomplishment. At the end of the day, it removes the constant feeling of I never got enough done and it replaces it with I accomplished my most important work

2. Exercise every single day

When I lived in my Aunt's place, my Tito would always ask are you getting exercise? In fact even now, though we only talk every couple years on the phone, he always asks me so are you getting regular exercise? I used to think my Tito was concerned with my physical health which I'm sure he was but as I have embraced a daily practice of exercise, I have learned the benefits are not just physical but they're mental and emotional as well. My Tito knew that physical activity was an important key to a healthy and productive life. Don't overthink exercise daily, this doesn't need to be a three mile run or two hour tennis match, go for a walk, stretch, mow the lawn or work out to a youtube video.

3. Turn off your television

Not only are the negative effects of television detrimental to our lives the opportunity cost is just too great. There are more life fulfilling things that we can do with our lives than watch someone else live. When I decided to turn off the television years ago I was immediately forced to begin filling my evenings with other things and surprisingly it wasn't hard to find more important things to do. We started spending more time together as a family, we spent more time outdoors, I visited the gym more. I took more control over my life and my decisions and all of these good habits began when I turned off television.

4. Practice gratitude daily

Say a prayer, keep a journal, meditate or just discuss the high points of your day over dinner with your family. Whatever works best for you, express gratitude at some point every day. Gratitude reframes our circumstances. It drives out discontent, it focuses us on the good things in our lives, it brings intentionality and attentiveness, it more appropriately positions our attitude to the world around us.

5. Write something down every day sit down

Write something anything you want, it can be a three sentence post on instagram, a three paragraph journal or a three page blog post that you share with the world where your writing ends up means far less than the impact it has on you personally. The habit of writing will force you to see the world in a more observant way. You'll rethink conversations, circumstances, relationships. I live better when I write things down because it forces me to become more observant and I'm a better person today because I started writing years ago.

6. Reset your kitchen every night before you go to bed

In a practical sense, it will help brighten your mood in the morning. After all, there are a few things less desirable to do in the morning than clean up yesterday's mess. And so, this habit of resetting your kitchen helps brighten your morning and it spills over into other habits of keeping your home tidy. By the way, if resetting your kitchen every evening seems too difficult, you'll find it easier if you own less stuff

7. Eat together

I realize of course if you live alone this habit may not apply but I fear that there are too many people living together who are also not applying this habit. So if you're a parent or a spouse or a partner or even a roommate, make every effort to eat one meal together every day. When shared with others, food becomes this bonding experience that's difficult to replicate. Anywhere else, meals around a table are one of the rare moments where we face each other sitting down to talk. It's difficult I believe to be an intentional parent or spouse without sharing meals together. Again this habit may not be possible for everyone but if it is, don't neglect to make it a priority.

There are many who would gladly switch places with you so pick a habit from this article and begin practicing it daily just one. Once you take control of your habits, you begin taking control of your life.

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