I just noticed something which I had forgotten for a few years now. Whenever I'm climbing or getting down a staircase, I always end up with my left foot as a last step on the stairs. I remember the number of stairs in my office and building and unconsciously start climbing with the left / right foot in such a way that my last step will be my left foot.
If its a new or unknown place, I'll somehow unconsciously make an adjustment, take a double step and still land with my left foot.
This conditioning has become so strong that I infact find it weird when I try to start or end with my right foot.
I'm a left handed person and being a lefty was looked at as a taboo in my circle at one time. My friends used to tease me in school because I used to hold the pen in a different way, even teachers used to force me and try to get me to write with my right hand.
Somehow, I started developing this attitude that whenever someone teased me, I would tell myself that left was good. I would make sure I do more and more things with my left hand (or left foot in this case).
Today it doesn't matter anymore but somehow the habit has still stuck around.
Another habit which I picked up was to count the number of carriages in the passing train whenever I travelled by train.
These are just examples from my life.
All of us have some habit which we might not have noticed till now.
For example - What do you do when you are sitting idle? - just pick up your cell phone, unlock the keypad, look at the screen, lock the keypad and keep it back.
Crack your knuckles?
Bite your nails / skin off your fingers?
Sitting in front of a TV, simply change channels?
Keep playing with the keychain in your hand?
Most of these things we don't even do consciously, but they keep happening automatically.
Some of our habits are positive, some are not.
This sharing is not about whether habits are good or not. You could have a habit of listening to prayers every morning. I used to have a habit of reading the dictionary whenever I used to sit idle. As a result, I ended up memorising the whole dictionary with all its 44000 words.
Purpose is for us to become more observant and see what actions of ours are because of a habit.
If it is a positive and growth oriented habit, then continue. But if it is an activity which takes up time and energy without any growth, then I think the habit is worth giving up.
Think about it!!!
If its a new or unknown place, I'll somehow unconsciously make an adjustment, take a double step and still land with my left foot.
This conditioning has become so strong that I infact find it weird when I try to start or end with my right foot.
I'm a left handed person and being a lefty was looked at as a taboo in my circle at one time. My friends used to tease me in school because I used to hold the pen in a different way, even teachers used to force me and try to get me to write with my right hand.
Somehow, I started developing this attitude that whenever someone teased me, I would tell myself that left was good. I would make sure I do more and more things with my left hand (or left foot in this case).
Today it doesn't matter anymore but somehow the habit has still stuck around.
Another habit which I picked up was to count the number of carriages in the passing train whenever I travelled by train.
These are just examples from my life.
All of us have some habit which we might not have noticed till now.
For example - What do you do when you are sitting idle? - just pick up your cell phone, unlock the keypad, look at the screen, lock the keypad and keep it back.
Crack your knuckles?
Bite your nails / skin off your fingers?
Sitting in front of a TV, simply change channels?
Keep playing with the keychain in your hand?
Most of these things we don't even do consciously, but they keep happening automatically.
Some of our habits are positive, some are not.
This sharing is not about whether habits are good or not. You could have a habit of listening to prayers every morning. I used to have a habit of reading the dictionary whenever I used to sit idle. As a result, I ended up memorising the whole dictionary with all its 44000 words.
Purpose is for us to become more observant and see what actions of ours are because of a habit.
If it is a positive and growth oriented habit, then continue. But if it is an activity which takes up time and energy without any growth, then I think the habit is worth giving up.
Think about it!!!
CR: 1st para last line "I'll my last step will be my left foot".
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot. It's fixed now...
Delete