I AM super excited with the journey I undertook a few months ago in communicating some of my wild ideas and inspirations with someone out there, through simple article writing. From a recent article ‘Riding on Borrowed Time’, the need to embrace positive habits that put yourself in a position of growth was echoed.
In the recent past, a habit of daily or weekly recording of small inspirations from my daily life experiences whether positive or negative was adopted. It is worth mentioning that the present motivation to write articles emanate from the said habit.
Daily inspirational writing has become my ritual of personal transformation permeating through almost every activity of the day, and without which feelings of incompleteness take over.
This article is simply a reminder that you can still consider adding a couple of more beneficial habits for the year 2021. Until you try out some of life’s’ rituals not yet on your positive habit list, with consistency and discipline, it is hard to discover how possible becoming a better version of YOU can be.
Positive habits can be seen as those ‘rituals’ or deliberate actions one undertakes on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
According to Dictionary.com, a habit is an acquired behavioural pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary.
Furthermore, Cambridge Dictionary defines the term as something you do often and regularly, sometimes without knowing that you are doing it.
One of my students once gave an example of washing hands before eating nshima (local staple food), as a habit that gets internalised. Meaning it is possible for one to display some behaviour not acceptable in society simply because they lack internalisation of that particular habit.
The importance of adopting positive habits therefore, lies in the fact that almost all angles of human life are determined by them.
They become like ONE’S standard operating system.
Dan Robey posits that, one’s character, health, business, academic pursuits and spirituality among others are determined by those deliberate regular actions called habits.
Positive habits have the potential to spur one to great heights of influence and impact.
Some positive habits have been shared by friends, students, workmates, church mates and my fans in general.
These could be tailored towards one’s personal growth, health, business, general social life, academics, spirituality, marriage and work among others.
Below are excerpts of some of the habits worth sharing;
Working out every morning; Jotting down daily action points, Recording days happenings in a journal, listening to inspirational talk on you tube or from online articles, morning devotion, daily effort to leave someone better than they were, singing, art work, reading a book, avoiding impulse buying, making one’s bed, daily studying as a student, Checking social media only in evenings, avoiding negative people, remaining complaint free, being grateful, acts of kindness, maintaining a positive attitude, and the list is endless.
Any attempt to adopt some positive habits therefore, should be subjected to the truth in Philippians 4:13 NKJV ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’
Notwithstanding the above examples, here is a 5 Habit Challenge for the year 2021 worth considering if not yet on your habit list:
I. Identify someone to show kindness to each week.
II. Identify a new idea each week and implement
III. Read one book weekly in the area of interest
IV. Avoid complaining and embrace positive talk.
V. Be punctual for all your engagements
Feel free to identify many more of positive habits as you plan the year 2021.
Remember…..
‘If you don’t program yourself, life will program you’. Les Brown
I wish us a prosperous new year and may we thrive in positive habits that enhance our positive influence within and beyond our circles.
For the next version of Introspection Time with JBM, check Kalemba every Wednesday
Joan Beulah Mute is a lecturer in Research Methods, Sociology and Law and Ethics in Public Health at the University of Lusaka (UNILUS)
For feedback or reactions, email [email protected] or follow me on Facebook @Joan Mwanza Mute and Twitter @JoanMute
