Habits – Encouragement is Personal

“I know this now. Every man gives his life for what he believes. Every woman gives her life for what she believes. Sometimes people believe in little or nothing, and yet they give their lives to that little or nothing. One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it and then it’s gone. But to surrender what you are and to live without belief is more terrible than dying—even more terrible than dying young.” –Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc lived less than twenty years. Yet she fought for her beliefs and made a huge impact on history. She died for her beliefs at an age when many are just beginning their life’s journey.

She knew what she believed in. She knew what it meant to sacrifice for her beliefs. Ask anyone who serves or served in the military, a first responder who runs into a burning building to save others, or a newly formed priest who has answered God’s call. These are just a few examples. Each of them know what it means to sacrifice for their beliefs.

Sometimes our beliefs emerge quietly without our knowledge. We go through life, making seemingly inconsequential decisions about what we will and won’t do. We decide who our friends are, and how much we will let them into our lives. We decide when to listen. We decide how honest we will be with the world around us.

We establish habits for living our life, and we go on our merry way.

Do you know what you believe in? Really? Do you know what you believe to be true? Do you know what is important in your life?

Have you made the quiet time in your life that’s necessary to consider these questions?

What if it turns out that the things you believe in aren’t manifested in the way you live? Are you willing to change your habits? Are you willing to eliminate the things that don’t support your beliefs? Will you support your beliefs in the way you live, and the way you work with others? Are you willing to make your beliefs the centerpiece of your actions in everything you do?

Joan of Arc was right. One life is all we have, and then it’s gone.

Where are you in that one life? Is it too late to examine your beliefs and change the way you live?

The answer is clear But, it won’t become obvious until we make quiet time in our lives to reflect. When we do, we find it’s never too late to examine our beliefs and change our life.

Every day is a new beginning if we choose to make it so. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past. It doesn’t matter who wronged you. It doesn’t matter if you had a terrible childhood. It doesn’t matter if you’ve missed opportunities in the past. It certainly doesn’t matter if you failed in the past.

All that matters is learning what you believe in. Then, deciding what to do with that new knowledge, starting today.

The only question is: Are you willing to find out?

h/t: Matthew Kelly

Have you ever tried brushing your teeth with your eyes closed, or in total darkness? I’m sure you’re asking, “How hard can that be?”

Give it a shot and you’ll find out.

Would you be able to find the toothpaste? How about your toothbrush? The sink? Now for the tough part. Can you put the right amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush?

Maybe you mastered all of that, and even brushed the proper amount of time. Are you sure you’re spitting in the sink? Did you put the toothbrush back where it belongs? How about the toothpaste?

You (should) brush at least twice a day. Multiply that by your lifetime of days, and that’s a lot of practice. Your brain should do it automatically…and it does until you eliminate one sense (sight in this case). Then it gets a lot harder.

So hard that you may find all your attention focused on that one simple task. For that moment, you will be fully present. No distractions. Only a laser focus on trying to figure out how to get the right amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush without making a mess.

Our brains are amazing. The biggest consumer of calories within our bodies. So, over millions of years of development, our brains have found ways to disengage (in the interest of energy conservation). Once our brain establishes a pattern for an activity, it flips the “auto-pilot” switch and rests.

Think about all things you do in a day without thinking. Or, maybe all the things you do while thinking too much. What if you approached each one a little differently?

Commute to work a completely different way. Shop in the opposite direction (admit it, when you go to “your” grocery store, you usually go in the same direction). Put your shoes on starting with the other foot.

Put a penny next to your smart phone. Pick it up instead of your phone when you get that urge to check your messages. A penny for your thought. Maybe you can give those pennies to a charity. Since this is for your favorite charity, what if you put a $20 bill there instead? That habit of yours may actually help someone else.

Which brings us back to the original premise. Brushing your teeth in the dark. Try it. You just might see things a bit more clearly.

Here’s the kicker. If you brush in the dark for about a week, it will become second nature to you, and (you guessed it) your brain will once again go on auto-pilot. Time to switch it up again!