Habits are a funny thing. We as human beings are fond of creating routines and habits , so much so, that many of us live so tied into routines, we may feel a bit lost when our day or week upsets our set routines. Notice how many folks get quite edgy when traveling and having to adapt each day without their habits and routines. Habits are tied in with our tendency for attachments and attachments are often masking a deeper anxiety that we are not willing to examine.
I remember having a habit of a particular coffee cup I had. I started each day(when I did drink coffee ) with this cup. One day I got up to notice my beloved cup was missing! I can remember going through the usual motions of checking for it in the obvious places and it was no where in sight. What ensued was a ramp up of annoyance and eventually outright frustration. Where the heck was my cup and I took it even to a more ridiculous level, Who the Heck Took MY CUP?? It was so irrational and I realized that but nonetheless, I had a strong attachment to starting my day with that cup!
These are signs that our habits and routines may be leaning on the constricting side rather than nourishing side. A habit can be healthy like, getting to bed early , exercising, eating whole foods and hydrating optimally. Habits can also be devilishly persistent like wanting your morning coffee and sugar fix, putting off self care in light of our affinity for distraction , or deeper habits like self criticism or impatience with self and others. The saying goes it takes 21 days to learn a new habit and 40 days to root that habit into our daily living.
Teaching the seasonal detox course, the subject of our habits and routines becomes central . It gives us a clear picture of how we choose to care for ourselves (or not), how we choose to use our time and determining what habits and routines are not supportive to our health and well being.Its a wake-up call to uplevel our personal responsibility for being in charge of our wellness. In Ayurveda, the medical sister science of yoga, the key term is Dinacharya or daily rhythms. We examine what rhythms or routines are daily habits are creating. Are they creating balance and integrity or distraction and and chaos? Basics like getting enough rest, exercise, hydration and meditation can seem monumental when we have filled up much of our waking hours with too much . So the first step is dial everything back. Take inventory of your day from start to finish. Ask yourself how you feel day to day. Do you have energy or are your fatigued daily. Do you feel optimistic and inspired or do you feel weighted down and lethargic in body and mind? Do you feel nourished or depleted?
The only way to make meaningful shifts is first to assess how you are using your energy now, how you structure your day and begin to pick 1-2 new healthy habits that can plant the seed of wellness to take bloom. I often suggest to students to focus on the basics; Hydration, Rest and Nutrition. We may actually achieve improvements in all these areas by eliminating some of our current unsupportive habits. You will increase hydration by cutting back on caffeine , sugar and alcohol. You will improve rest by cutting back screen time, TV, emailing and other distractions.(The average american watches 6-8 hours of TV or screen time day!) You will improve nutrition by eliminating empty calories of processed foods . Just cutting snacking out is a major shift. Two tips, every time you crave something like sugar or a carbohydrate snack, drink a large glass of warm water and eat an apple! 80 % of food cravings are linked to dehydration ! If you followed this tip for just one week you would be making a powerful shift to boost two positive habits, optimal hydration and improved nutrition.
Another KEY INGREDIENT to successfully shedding old habits for health invigorating new ones is to access support. Unhealthy habits are often born of unskilled attempts to manage stress. Find a friend to be your accountability partner whether its to exercise together, or check in on each others commitment to healthier routines. Take a yoga class! You will be immersed in a community of conscious wellness and continuous support for evolving to a deeper level of integrity. There are many online support groups for folks making healthier shifts, or be creative and start your own local support group.
So today, take a few moments and list 3 habits you have in the following categories that are not supportive; Mental, Physical and Emotional. Then circle one in each category that you can commit to shift into a more supportive habit. Then mark your calendar for 21 days and 40 days respectively to see the 'celebration dates' . There is no need to live tired, stressed , uninspired and energetically depleted lives. With a few key choices, you can begin the journey of renewal and resurrection! Spring is a powerful time to release what is not serving you anymore. Let the habits go unless they add vitality and joy to your days! Namaste and Blessings for a Beautiful Day! Anne Townend-Duffey
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