Most likely—hopefully—you woke up this morning and brushed your teeth. Maybe you grabbed a bottle of water or a cup of coffee before heading out to PT. Maybe you listened to NPR, Hillsongs worship music, or Jay-Z on your way in. Generally, we have our morning routines. We have life habits that our mommas began instilling in us when we were as young as two years old: we wash our hands, we say grace before meals, we tie our shoes--lots of little things we do without even thinking. Life habits such as these serve to keep us healthy, presentable to society, and as far as the coffee goes---to get us going in the morning! As we grow and develop, we begin establishing other life habits. Sometimes we do this intentionally, but more often than not, we establish ways of being in the world quite by accident. Consequently, we sometimes establish poor life habits that affect us negatively in some form or fashion. The first step to breaking bad habits or to establishing positive ones is SELF AWARENESS. Think about what you really want in life—relationally, spiritually, financially, physically, and intellectually. What life habits do you have in each of these categories now that are helping you grow? What would you like to see happen? The second step is SELF DISCIPLINE. Doing what we need to do regardless of how we feel. On the way to work this morning I heard an NPR announcer talking about Igor Stravinsky, arguably the 20th century’s greatest composer, and his daily routine. Apparently, Stravinsky understood the value of life habits that get us where we want to be. It’s too easy to live our lives by our feelings—to only do what we feel like doing. So what these life habits do is put us in a place where, regardless of our feelings, we are going to do those things that will accomplish in us, in our relationships, in our jobs, and in our communities the goals we have in mind. The good news is that often motion produces emotion. Like Stravinsky said, “Just as appetite comes by eating, so work brings inspiration, if inspiration is not discernible at the beginning.” So pick a category. Think of one small change you can make—knocking out push-ups first thing in the morning, writing one page a day, giving your Spouse the daily six-second kiss (search ‘Gottman and the 6 second kiss’ for more info), bringing your lunch instead of spending the extra money, downloading a Bible ap and listening to a chapter a day—and do it whether you feel like it or not! Over time, as you deliberately, consciously, and consistently work to establish this action, you will begin to see the positive change and be glad you did. You will establish something that will make a significant difference in your life—your present and your future—and in the lives of those you love. Your life habits will become tradition. And Stravinsky has something to say to this as well: “Tradition is entirely different from habit, even from an excellent habit, since habit is by definition an unconscious acquisition and tends to become mechanical, whereas tradition results from a conscious and deliberate acceptance. A real tradition is not the relic of a past that is irretrievably gone; it is a living force that animates and informs the present….Far from implying the repetition of what has been, tradition presupposes the reality of what endures. It appears as an heirloom, a heritage that one receives on condition of making it bear fruit before passing it on to one’s descendants.” I cannot fail to mention that the spiritual traditions you establish are the most important of all. These traditions become foundational. Matthew 6:8 says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (If your heart’s desire is to know God better, I have just the book to recommend. Richard Foster wrote a classic called The Celebration of Discipline. The book is powerful in outlining those disciplines that will shape our attitudes toward God and toward our fellow humans on this journey) Remember: You have complete confidentiality when speaking with your UMT.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 19:50:32 +0000
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