H is for Habits

Do you possess good habits or bad habits? What would your friends, family, or co-workers say about your habits? You might want to interview a few trusted friends and colleagues to get an honest assessment. Often, we are blind to what we do and how it affects others.

Once again, Fast Company published an article in 2017 on bad habits to ditch. Do you possess any of these habits? Ditch These Seven Bad Habits before 2018 Starts by Gwen Moran. Read this article at https:// www.fastcompany.com/40503547/ditch-these-seven-bad-habits-be- fore-2018-starts and see if you see yourself as having possessed these habits.

Once we begin to recognize our bad habits, how can we start to change them? We all have them. You cannot change everything overnight, but you can take steps to improve one thing at a time. Describe your bad habit. What do you think is the root cause of it? By not doing something, what is it costing you? Or what is the payoff to you by not doing it? If you were to change it, how would it benefit your life? With what will you replace the bad habit? What can you do instead?

Once you have identified the habit, the root cause, and with what you can replace the bad habit, next is accountability. Reach out to a co-worker or friend and have them be your accountability partner. Give yourself some time. Much has been written on this subject about how long it takes to change a habit. The time-frame ranges from 21 days to six months. It depends on the habit and the person. Commit to the time-frame. Know that you probably will make a few mistakes along the way or even backslide. We are human but do not quit. No need to justify the reasons it happened but become aware of what triggered it. Recommit yourself to making progress toward changing the habit. Tomorrow is a new day!

Realize that many habits you possess are positive. Keep them and discard what does not serve you and others. You are on the road to excellence.

RESOURCES:

Ditch These Seven Bad Habits before 2018 Starts by Gwen Moran. https://www.fastcompany.com/40503547/ditch-these-seven-bad-hab- its-before-2018-starts

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What resources can you bring to this strategy? For example: Books, articles, online resources, or programs.