Old Habits Die Hard
A new blog for a new year. It's been months since I've written.. months since I've blogged. Things happen.. your world turns upside down.. and good habits you've gotten into vanish in favor of those oldest of habits.. sloth, apathy, distraction.. etc...
With everything that happened in my life last spring I lost some.. really most.. of my focus on what really is important in life. I regained some of those things, and in many ways had a great summer of sailing and enjoying time with friends. But somehow in all of this, I lost sight of a few of the things that make me the most happy.. my creativity and my drive to care for myself. I put on some weight, and haven't written a word in nearly ten months now.
As I think about the new year, I realize that I need to refocus myself again. Not that sitting around on my ass hasn't been fun.. I can certainly understand the appeal.. but really.. what does it accomplish? As I look back on the year, I watched a lot of good movies.. I drank some great bottles of wine.. but what do I have to show for it.. other than DVD containers and empty bottles..? Well .. that and another 20 pounds....
But it also makes me think about habits.. and human nature. Why is it that those habits which make us feel better about ourselves and become better people - reading and continuing education, physical exercise, being creative, eating well, getting in touch with nature and spirituality - are often so difficult to maintain? If I miss a couple of nights of exercise.. or even worse a week.. it takes three times as long to catch up. Yet those habits that tend to be bad for us - eating junk food, drinking, watching a movie instead of reading a book, sitting on the couch - those habits we can fall back into in hours or days. Why is the human animal so easily adaptable to bad habits and requires so much work for good ones? And what does that say about our future.. as a people?
I'm not sure..
But I suppose in the end, we can only change it one good habit.. one person.. at a time.
So.. here's a first blog for the year. Tonight I'll eat a salad, and I'll go to the gym.
And tomorrow.. well.. I hope I can keep it going. Good luck to us all for another year...
With everything that happened in my life last spring I lost some.. really most.. of my focus on what really is important in life. I regained some of those things, and in many ways had a great summer of sailing and enjoying time with friends. But somehow in all of this, I lost sight of a few of the things that make me the most happy.. my creativity and my drive to care for myself. I put on some weight, and haven't written a word in nearly ten months now.
As I think about the new year, I realize that I need to refocus myself again. Not that sitting around on my ass hasn't been fun.. I can certainly understand the appeal.. but really.. what does it accomplish? As I look back on the year, I watched a lot of good movies.. I drank some great bottles of wine.. but what do I have to show for it.. other than DVD containers and empty bottles..? Well .. that and another 20 pounds....
But it also makes me think about habits.. and human nature. Why is it that those habits which make us feel better about ourselves and become better people - reading and continuing education, physical exercise, being creative, eating well, getting in touch with nature and spirituality - are often so difficult to maintain? If I miss a couple of nights of exercise.. or even worse a week.. it takes three times as long to catch up. Yet those habits that tend to be bad for us - eating junk food, drinking, watching a movie instead of reading a book, sitting on the couch - those habits we can fall back into in hours or days. Why is the human animal so easily adaptable to bad habits and requires so much work for good ones? And what does that say about our future.. as a people?
I'm not sure..
But I suppose in the end, we can only change it one good habit.. one person.. at a time.
So.. here's a first blog for the year. Tonight I'll eat a salad, and I'll go to the gym.
And tomorrow.. well.. I hope I can keep it going. Good luck to us all for another year...
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