Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been acquanting myself with the importance of building strong habits. I was noticing that for a while now I used to write down a list of habits that I had wanted to implement. That wasn’t the problem – the problem was following through on those habits. Let’s say I write dow habits I wanted to implement in the beginning of the week, by the end of the week they would be in a notebook, in my drawer at the bottom of a huge pile of books. As crazy as it sounds, I was in the habit of procrastinating on implementing my habits. However, once I started implementing the habits I wanted in my life, I could not stop building on them. It was as if it just clicked for me, at the right time.

Amongst all the habits I have implemented into my daily routine, there are three habits that I have recognized have had the most impact on my life. Here they are:

Habit 1: Meditation. I know, I know. You’ve heard of how meditation can change your life many times before. In the beginning when I too read about this habit as one of those habits that can create a monumental change in my life, I was not intrigued. When I hear of mediation I envision a lot of mental effort and energy going in to understanding the art of meditation. However, I was extremely incorrect. Meditation is a true representation of peace. I have incorporated it into my daily ritual, and guess what? Believe it or not, even if you can spare only five to ten minutes daily – it is more than enough to introduce mediation into your life on a consistent basis. Interestingly enough if you want it can require even less time, it’s all dependent upon preference. 

Habit 2: Read, read, read. I read on my commute to work, I read on the treadmill, I just love reading. It has changed my life in so many ways, and I can say confidently that it has the power to change your life as well. Reading really teaches you so much new information, and educates you on the perspective of others. Interestingly enough, even if you read for leisure you will learn so much from it. I’ve found that even when I’m reading for  10 minutes between my commute – I still learn a lot of monumental information. Usually, this information is so amazing – that those ten minutes are the most profound ten minutes of my day. 

Habit 3: Journal. Prior to journaling, I used to think that I could not stop talking no matter what! I am such a people person and I love talking to people and learning about them. However, journaling taught me that not only do I talk a lot, but that by the end of the day my mind has a lot of unprocessed information remaining. This is where my journaling habit helps me not only reflect on the day, but through it I can highlight what went well in my day and what I hope to accomplish for the next day. Without a journaling habit it becomes really difficult to keep track of progress. In a way, journaling is way for you to check-in with yourself. As reminder to follow through on this habit, you can even put a meeting on your calendar at the time you prefer to journal so you never miss doing it.

There are so many articles about the importance of cultivating habits because they are indeed the true makeup of our lives. I encourage you to really explore what habits you have created in your own lives. Do they help propel you to another level or are they keeping you stagnant? Really think about this. Sending a lot of positive vibes your way,

Love,
Manisha Sareen