The power of habits is a topic close to my heart. My second book, ‘Smart Women, Smart Habits’, is a testament to this.
We all take on habits from a young age. Ones that are essential to lead an easy life. Imagine if you had to learn how to dress or brush your teeth every day? You won’t have time to do anything else!
I’m not talking about those habits. I’m talking about the ones, that as adults, if we follow, will help us lead fulfilled lives.
When I started practising certain habits, some eight or so years ago, my life was enhanced to the next level.
At first, it was all about reading self-help books. I was like a thirsty sponge wanting to learn all about this wonderful thing – changing your life by changing the way you think. Next, I explored meditation in the form of creative visualisation.
In 2009, when I started my business, I networked a lot and met women (predominantly), from whom I heard about NLP (neuro linguistic programming), the law of attraction, manifestation amongst other fascinating topics. At that time, it was woo-woo to me because my scientific brain was dominant and I liked proof for everything. Over time, I realised there are so many things unexplained. Contrary to the saying ‘seeing is believing’, there are so many things that the human eye cannot see, but that doesn’t mean it is not true.
One woman who started me off on this journey (who is no longer with us), was an accountant, who taught me the power of meditation. She used to get all her clients to meditate for a few days before she could take them onboard as a client. It was a very unique concept.
The next practice I took upon was goal setting. I used to set short, medium and long term goals. I used to break it down and plot my course of action, day after day, week after week. When I had some success with this habit, I then took upon goal setting as my annual task, and along with my family, we do this as a fun activity every December during holidays.
I’ve had mentors and business coaches along the way. One particular person, was more than just a business coach. He introduced me to NLP and the power of the mind. He taught me that the stuff you hold onto (grudges, pain, limiting beliefs) from your young age, will stop you from realising your full potential.
Over the last year, I’ve realised the importance of a healthy body. Healthy body = healthy mind.
Based on my experience, I’ve taken on some habits that serve me on a daily basis. I also have to say that as I grow, I tend to upgrade my systems and practices. Nevertheless, the habits themselves stay the same.
Habit #1: My number one practice every morning is meditation. This can range anywhere from five to twenty minutes.
Habit #2: Exercise three to four times a week and stretch your body every day.
Habit #3: Eat healthy food most of the time. Friday nights through the weekend are my relaxed time. I still opt for healthy choices where I can.
Habit #4: Sleep. This is very important for me to function at my peak. I need anywhere between eight and nine hours of sleep every night. If I don’t get enough during the week, I try to catch up on my sleep over the weekend.
Habit #5: ME-time. I love spending time with myself. I love cooking, singing, listening to music, watching movies, spending time with my husband and children. I make sure I catch up regularly (via technology) with family overseas. I incorporate solo-time everyday into my life. It can range anywhere between half-an-hour to any length of time that I have, based on my schedule.
Habit #6: Journaling. This year, I’ve promised myself that I will journal especially when I’m upset or feeling frustrated. This helps me enormously to vent my displeasure. Often, the situation resolves much quicker and I get solutions to the problem as I’m journaling.
This is not an extensive list and you don’t have to do everything all the time. It took me so many years to create my daily habits. You can pick one at a time and make your habit a routine.
If this helps you or you have a practice that has changed your life, I would love to hear from you.
