Quantum Happiness Series- Healthy habits
To free ourselves
of ennui and find inspiration, we must first take stock of our habits to
determine where our valuable time and energy are being spent.
Habits are like
seeds. If carefully chosen, planted, and tended, they bloom into beautiful
accomplishments that bear creative fruit. Bad habits, on the other hand, are
like weeds that can’t simply be plucked out since an untended space may produce
yet another weed. A fruitful seed must be introduced in its place.
For instance, we
might decide to savor our morning coffee outside instead of drinking it
mindlessly while watching television. Or
we might make a habit of cooking dinner with friends and family in the evenings
instead of ordering takeout.
By taking conscious control of our daily
rituals and routines, we replace seeds of ennui with productive passion flowers
of creativity, excitement, and adventure
Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash
Four ways to cultivate healthty habits
A multitude of bad habits spring from the
roots of ennui, that insidious vine. Its gray blooms reek of despair while its
tentacles sap color from our lives.
Struggling to break free of its grasp, we long
for excitement and adventure, often planting weed seeds by mistake.
Self-destructive habits such as procrastination, tardiness, road rage, and even
drug and alcohol abuse are just a few of the dreaded weed seeds some sew to
crowd out the dreaded ennui.
We know that putting things off until the last
moment, making others wait while we run late, unloading on other drivers, and
waking up hungover and full of regret are toxic for both us and those around
us. But such actions deliver a surge of energy and adrenaline that gets our
heart rate and blood pressure rising while feeding our need for excitement in
much the same way fast food feeds our hunger.
We often unknowingly participate in these self-destructive, stress-inducing habits in our misguided search for excitement because anxiety, anger, fear and excitement all produce the same adrenal response in the body and are accompanied by the same physiological changes:
·
Shallow breathing,
·
rapid heartbeat,
·
heightened awareness,
a.k.a pure energy.
This powerful energy, produced in a response
known as fight or flight, (sometimes referred to as hyperarousal) is the body’s
way of preparing us to either defend ourselves or flee in the face of danger.
However, these dramatic moments of our own making don’t usually allow us to
engage in battle or flee the scene. So, we end up frustrated and exhausted,
like a caged bird beating its wings but accomplishing nothing. It is energy
turned toxic.
Seven ways to stress less
When we cultivate healthy habits that provide
this same incredible surge of energy and excitement, it becomes fuel for our
fire and fertilize for our goal garden.
If we are excited about our goals and focused on our priorities, we
don’t need to generate toxic energy, which fuels frustration and nourishes
ennui. Instead we radiate healthy, vibrant excitement that leads to creative
passion and heightened inspiration.
Unfortunately, drug and alcohol abuse are
common examples of toxic energy emanating from the roots of ennui. I graduated
high school during the 1980’s, and the motto of our generation was, “sex,
drugs, and rock & roll.” Like many of us, I held onto that mentality far
too long. It took me years of feeling depleted and defeated to realize that the
self-destructive behavior I was indulging in over the weekend was affecting the
rest of my week.
I was living with a perpetual hangover and
didn’t even know it. I anticipated the weekend all week, overindulged with
food, drink, and whatever else was available, from Friday afternoon until
Sunday night, then didn’t understand why I felt so horrible during the next
week. But as I began to examine my habits, look for patterns, and search for
alternatives, I discovered that self-destructive root of ennui and began
pruning it from my life.
Today when I feel the need for energy and
excitement, I pack a lunch and go paddle boarding, fishing, hiking, exploring,
something that gets my heart pumping and my adrenaline surging without drinking
in a club or partying until dawn.
The leadership habit
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