My mother always used to say that I have no good habits. I guess most Indian mothers love to think that their offspring are ‘good for nothing’. However, irrespective of her lack of confidence in me, I developed quite a few good habits. These good habits were not picked up in a day. They were gradually picked up over the years. Nevertheless, these habits help me stay focused and motivated. They also make me feel grateful and positive about life.
Writing To-Do List: Many of us write To-Do lists. These days we have apps to note down To-Do things but I prefer the old-fashioned pen and paper. Every night, before falling asleep, I sit with a pen and paper and write down the ‘things to do’ in the next day. These things include both official work and household chores. I assign dedicated time for each chore and try to stick to that routine.
The to-do list is often repetitive but I still write it every single night. It helps me stay focused. I have a tendency to forget things but when I write them down and stick to my refrigerator wall it is difficult to miss. At the end of each day, I again sit with my to-do list and strike out the things that I have been able to achieve and those I haven’t done are carried on as a backlog for the next day. When I sit and strike out the things that I did in the day I feel a sense of accomplishment and that makes me happy.
Writing Gratitude Journal: I picked up this habit a few months back. I was depressed and was focusing on the negatives in life. That is when I read an essay by Daisaku Ikeda where he focused on the need to focus on the positive aspects of life. He encouraged to find happiness in the simple things that make us happy. A couple of years back I had taken part in the happiness challenge and then I saw that even the blossoming of a flower can make us happy. So each night after writing my To-do list I sit and write my gratitude journal where I write about the things that made me happy in the day and also the things that I felt grateful for. They are often simple things like my son telling me a joke or my husband making tea for me or a friend calling. These simple things help me see the positivity in my daily life and makes me feel grateful and happy at the end of the day. In 2018 I joined Vidya Suri’s gratitude circle and you can read my posts for January and February.
Making Bed: I make my own bed every single day throughout the year. I make my own bed even if I am staying in a hotel. Making bed is an act of gratitude. It is an act to feel thankful for having a comfortable bed to spend the night. There are millions of people who do not have the luxury of a bed. Therefore every morning after making my bed I feel a strange sense of calmness and peace.
De-clutter: I hate clutter. It makes me physically sick. I have marginal ataxophobia. Over the years, I have developed this habit of de-cluttering where I remove all extra and unwanted things out of my space. Either I throw them or donate them or recycle them. I have a dedicated zone to clean for each day of the week. So on Monday, I do an intensive cleaning of my living room, Tuesday I clean the kitchen, so on and so forth. This routine helps me keep my house clean and clutter-free. A clean, organized and clutter-free space keeps me happy and calm.
Holy Trinity of Exercise, Meditation, and Chanting: I used to be an angry woman, however, thanks to the holy trinity of exercise, meditation, and chanting, I have become a much calmer person. Each day I take out time to do some kind of exercise. It could be brisk walking, yoga or climbing the stairs. My meditation process is simple where I just go and sit in a place close to nature and just observe nature’s abundance. I listen to the chirping of the birds, the fluttering of butterflies, the leaves falling or birds flying in the sky. Just looking at them I feel calm and happy. This is the time when I prefer to be alone and just become one with nature. Each day morning and evening I do Buddhist chanting and that helps me keep focused. Over last 2 years, chanting has become an inevitable part of my survival.
I hope these 5 healthy habits would help my readers understand that how few simple habits can lead us to the path of happiness, gratitude, and positivity.
What are the few good habits that you have? Let me know about them in the comment section.
Linking this post to #MondayMusings hosted by dear Corinne
and #mglinkup hosted by Mac.
Well, you’ve sure proved your mum wrong!
These are great habits with great outcomes!
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Thanks Michele. I am glad that I could prove her wrong 🙂
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Commendable habits, balaka, to make any mum proud of her offspring. I don’t have many of your habits I must admit. I exercise and sometimes meditate. Also from time to time I de clutter my cupboards, however I feel I get things at a faster pace than I manage to clear them up.
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De cluttering your space also de-clutters your mind. Exercise and meditation make you a calmer person. I am surely you have your own set of good habits. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Great post, agreed these simple things are so important and could make a major positive change in our day to day life. personally, I had observed de-cluttering has a really positive effect and give us an instant feel-good energy. thanks for sharing!
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De-cluttering actually has a calming effect. Thanks for reading and commenting
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Nice and simple things to keep you happy. All these can be practiced by anyone! thanks for the share, Balaka!
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Yes, it indeed can be practiced by anyone and they would see a change in their lives. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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I’m doing some of these not sure if I can tick all these off! 🙂
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Gradually you will get habituated
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Congrats for your five fold good habits !
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Thanks
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Well written post Balaka. I too am a list writer. But not daily. I liked your idea of gratitude diary. I will try it.
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Do try the gratitude journal..it will make you realise how blessed we actually are.. all of us tend to focus on the negatives in life..we often overlook the blessings..a daily gratitude journal helps you know the good things that happen to all of us on a daily basis. Thanks for reading and commenting Meena.
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We do have quite a lot in common, Balaka!
Cleaning, de-cluttering, making lists, yoga, meditation….and being grateful for the little things in life that actually carry a lot of meaning!
Great habits to carry you safely through Life.
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I always feel we have lot of common..remember last time how you said that you clean your husband’s cupboard and keep looking at it..I do the same 😀
My gratitude journal makes me happy and helps me stay positive.
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Hehehe….Balaka,.you do have a fantastic memory, girl!
❤
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Yes, that I do..my memory is often my Achilles heel 😀
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😅
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Those are some really good ones. We have a few things in common and gratitude lists is sure a blessing 🙂 Loved reading your post. It was a sweet way to know you.
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Gratitude makes you happy…as I am growing old I am trying to be more forgiving and less complaining.. I am realising the power of gratefulness.. thanks a lot Parul for visiting and commenting.
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Wow! reading your post made me feel so calm – I could feel the peace you expereince via these tiny things, seep out of the post and onto me.
The gratitude journal is a huge part of my life too since more than a year and I am so glad I found out about this practice.
I am yet to get back to my meditation practice but I opt to spend me time in the mornings and just soak in the solitude of the morning and all the bird calls.
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Am so glad you found peace in my post. This is the best comment I received. You made my day 💓💓💓
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Declutter is my word for this year. While I don’t want to develop ataxophobia, I know the benefits of less clutter and a tidy space.
I used to keep a gratitude journal during a time I was struggling. It helped me develop a more grateful heart. There’s always something to be thankful for.
Some of my habits: a daily study of the Bible and prayer, playing guitar, checking my calendar and writing a prioritized todo list.
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You have amazing good habits.mysic
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You have amazing good habits. Music and prayers always keep us happy . Thanks for reading and commenting.
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I cannot start my day without making my bed, and I use lists when life gets very busy.
#lgrtstumble
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Same here.
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I love this, and try hard to live this. ❤ #lgrtstumble xoxo
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I can say my time was utilised very nicely with this piece! Well done! 😊
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