Cultivate your habit garden
Even with over a foot of snow this week in Denver, I have SPRING on the mind. Thoughts of spring cleaning and renewal are bubbling to the surface. Spring is a time of rebirth, not only for all the plant life around us, but for our thought processes, systems, and habits. It’s the perfect time of year to clear out anything that isn’t working for us and bring in something new.
When it comes to HABITS, there are two flavors:
NEGATIVE habit: something you want to STOP doing
POSITIVE habit: something you want to START doing
An image I’ve found helpful for habits is that of a garden in the spring. Old negative habits are the weeds you need to remove to allow the new growth to take hold. Smoking, nail biting, overindulging, too much social media, really any behavior you want to decrease or eliminate can all be thought of as weeds that need to be pulled regularly.
New positive habits can be thought of as seeds to be planted. Once the seed is in the soil, it needs to be tended to and nourished until it is established and blossoms. Chewing gum over reaching for a cigarette, filing and painting your nails regularly to keep from chewing on them, and setting screen time limits can all be thought of as new seeds to be planted.
It is the same with habits. First, identify and stop negative habits (pull the weeds). Next, set an intention for a positive habit (plant the seed). Finally, nurture and track the habit until it is established as part of your routine.
Culling the negative habits and planting new habits will lead to a beautiful spring habit garden.
Warmly,
Bijal
The intent of these emails is to provide different perspectives, ideas, and insights as you navigate the path forward for yourself, your team, your organization, and your family.
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Bijal Choksi, MA, CHPC, ACC