Having fallen way too short and knowing well that my life could have been better, if only I chose and had done some things differently. At every point through the years that I stopped to question the journey, I almost always concluded on “adding” more but rarely contemplated “removing or dropping” a few.
I realize today that my habits got me here and to get anywhere better, would demand a new me and for this I will have to let die some habits that don’t serve me anymore. And what better place to find it than in the things we repeat every day.
To be honest I’ve hated every minute that I put myself through, as I painfully journaled my DREAM KILLERs be it my lack of discipline, time management (work, play and endless time on social media etc.), lack of planning, personal wellness (exercise, sleep cycle, meditation, diet etc.) only to realize that 70% of my day went on an auto cruise mode, simply preset habits in auto run mode. The more I broke down the various habits into little one I was overwhelmed at the time that these little things take up when not mindful; for example a simple trigger of picking up the phone to message would follow with a brief stint of checking out your social media handles which further leads to mindless surfing leading to total wastage of prime time scheduled for actual work.
Now I’ve made a few shifts that look promising as I’ve sustained it for over six months and would like encourage you to try it too:
1. I have consciously dropped habits that don’t serve me anymore, with smoking being the one am most proud of as it been a part of who I am for long. I realized the only way to break a habit is to rewrite the story you tell yourself and make it as inconvenient as possible for you to be lured back. It’s a work in progress as some are still at play but are covered under strict guidelines and conditions.
2. I have made it mandatory to plan my day and stick by it; for today I am choosing to live my day by choice. I simply feel the day is more fulfilling as I’ve done work mindfully and there is a sense of control that’s empowering.
So here I am working on decluttering, deleting and unlearning to create the space I need to accommodate the new learning and habits to manifest my dreams, it’s as I said a work in progress and no designation to reach but sure a fulfilling experience.
It’s magical to mindfully seek to be a better version of yourself every single day, for incremental progress no matter how small it seems has compounding outcomes leading to transformations beyond your wildest dreams.
We become what we repeatedly do so pick the habits that are slowing you down, break them down to smaller fragments and start working on it a piece at a time until you break free of them. Embrace this journey for it will introduce you to your best version.
Here’s wishing you a blissful life.
Ajith Anirudhan
Certified Life Coach (ACC™)
International Coaching Federation (USA)