Sitting here this morning drinking in my morning dose of the peace, quiet and freshness of this dawn, my thoughts turn to ‘habits’

I guess we all have them – good and bad – but what got me thinking today was about the habits that we want to cultivate.

I’m trying to cultivate the habit of writing each morning – first thing before my ‘planning mode’ kicks in and my day gets organised.

What I find fascinating and also frustrating though it how hard it can be to make some habits really stick.

Why is it that a habit I am trying to incorporate into my daily life – even something that I want to do and enjoy doing – can get lost so easily. It’s as though I need to make a real effort to cultivate it, so that something I have begun to do will become an extension of who I am.

One fascinating aspect of habits is how much easier it seems to begin a bad habit rather than a good one and also how much harder it seems to stop a bad habit rather than a good one!

For me, beginning a good habit would usually begin with a desire from within – a sense of wanting to improve myself either mentally, physically or spiritually – or a desire to do more for others – to get more involved in an activity that would help others or with a charity. I determine to make that desire into a reality and so I set out to make it happen by including it into my everyday life. All usually begins well. There’s always the thrill of beginning something new – the enjoyment and enrichment it can bring to my life – the sense of achievement. Yet, one thing I have learnt is that to make these things happen I have to work at them – make them a constant part of me – even maybe let some things go in order to make room for them.

I have to confess that my intention of daily morning writing nearly failed today. I am only just beginning to make it a regular habit of mine and am enjoying doing so. However – I know I have to stay focused and determined in order to be able to allow my feelings flow into the written word.

Maybe for some my new habit means nothing – just the daily ramblings of an older lady – but for me it feels as though I am being more true to myself – allowing myself to indulge in a passion of mine that, if I allow, it to will simply remain dormant.

So, I’ll continue to work at it – make it one of those habits that is an extension of who I am and hope to give others enjoyment in the process.