In June 1992, I attended a week-long seminar that I thought would develop me as a leader.
Instead, I experienced a change in habits that were not supportive while adding some new, more positive ones.
The program facilitator took each of us on a week-long journey into ourselves from the inside out. It was like nothing I had ever done before, and I was ready to jump in with both feet.
Each activity and exercise had me go deeper into my fears and dreams. I realized that they were not in alignment in many ways, and I was sabotaging my life. I wanted something better for my life, and I was here to get it.
The days were long, from early morning meditation to late evening reflections. I did my best to show up first and leave last to get the most juice out of the lemon.
It paid off with some changes in my life that I did not see coming when I arrived and met the program leader and my cohorts on the first day.
First and foremost, I stopped smoking on June 4, 1992. After a long day focused on my health habits, I dropped the pack of cigarettes and lighter in the trash bin and never looked back.
Secondly, I started meditating for the first time in my life. I learned how to calm my mind amid any chaos around me. When my sister dropped me off, I was stressed out. When she picked me up on the last day as we were driving on I95 in rush hour traffic, I told her I would meditate for a bit. She asked where her brother went during the week.
Third, I learned what it was to reflect on events and experiences in my life. At the end of every day, late in the evening, we were gathered in a circle with chairs, and one by one, shared our learning or best ah-ha from the day. I learned so much from the other people’s reflections and was hooked on the first night.
The habit of smoking left me more than 29 years ago.
The habit of meditating has been with me for over 29 years.
The habit of reflecting has been with me for more than 29 years.
These achievements astonish me to this day.
The practice of reflecting was deeply entrenched in my habits when I met my business coaches in 2000. They showed me ways to reflect that felt like I had graduated to the head of the class.
As a result of working with them, my reflections were more meaningful and had a more significant impact on my life and those around me. My reflections led to such massive lessons that continue to support me today in my professional and personal life.
I am a very outspoken proponent of taking on the habit of reflecting on each experience and event in our lives. I am grateful for the opportunity to share a tool that changed my life in every way. Without reflecting, I would have just been going through the motions with no real impact.
I have found that the best way to stop a bad habit is to do it immediately and with firm conviction and determination for the desired outcome.
On the other hand, I have found that developing a positive habit takes a slow and steady approach with deliberate milestones to celebrate the different levels of proficiency.
Habits make or break us in our careers and family lives; we can control them since they are after all our behaviors.
What habits are not supporting you currently?
What positive habits are missing from your life that you could take on today?
With much gratitude…
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This post is republished on Medium.
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