Good Habits

According to a book I am reading Jane Austin had a routine to her life. Hours were not frittered away. She began the day practising the piano. The tunes were not difficult ones to play and she did not graduate to playing something harder as the weeks and months progressed – she just played. She used the time playing to think and focus on God. It was her daily habit and she put it to use.

A webpage had a suggestion of ten good habits to build into life.

1. Do a full-body workout with weights 3 times a week – that’s just not going to happen. I could adapt it. For a while I was doing easy walkabout workouts with Lucy online. She suggested paying yourself to exercise. I bought a new pair of trainers one month from my earnings. So, it’s doable

2. Set 3-4 daily priorities – I have a to-do list that mostly doesn’t get done. I like the idea of setting 3-4 things rather than have a list of 20. I’ve done one thing today – cleaned the bathroom.

3. Read 60 minutes a day – 60 minutes? Only? Reading is my sweet spot. “Reading is essential for your cognition. Reading will also turn you into a better thinker and writer.” My problem here is to learn how to put a book down!

4. Sleep 7-8 hours a night – this isn’t happening. My Fitbit, which I bought specifically to monitor my sleep, was “updated” a while back. All the bits I liked and used no longer function. It wants me to monitor my food and drink intake instead. Is it linked to a satellite that shows it I’m overweight and dehydrated?

5. Walk 30 minutes a day – this I can do. Daily? The bushes at the bottom of the path were loaded with blackberries the last time I looked. I love being outdoors. Except for when it’s raining. “A daily walk breaks the pattern of a mundane life. Be one with the world."

6. Follow the intermittent fasting eating pattern – this is not going to happen either. I’m a nibbler. I didn’t used to be. I’m blaming my husband on this one. He was brought up in a household where there were biscuits for visitors. We have biscuits. We have very few visitors. Maybe it’s not the buying of biscuits that needs to end, but the increasing of visitors.

7. Be present - enjoy the present moment. This is my favourite so far. This is something I want to do! This is something I am bad at but would like to get better at.

8. Practice kindness & love – “Love is unlimited and never runs out. You can give it away as much as you like.” It’s unlimited because it doesn’t come from me but from God. He replenishes whatever I give away.

9. Journal or write 30 minutes a day – The daily part of this is the part I need to claim. I write, but not always daily.

10. Save 30% of your income – Hmmm. “Cut out the useless things you do daily or weekly.” I do save. Some of my pension goes into a savings’ account. I’m not sure I am wasteful. I’m not a spendthrift. I’m thinking that there needs to be an opposite to this one. I don’t treat myself enough. Can a person be too frugal?