“Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits” Joyce Meyer
I found another great book to read and to inspire me on my journey. I have read several books by Joyce Meyer, yes, she is a feisty woman with a big mouth, but I am the same way and perhaps that is why I like her. She is blunt and tells it like it is, but she tries to do it in love.
Bad habits, I have a few of those. One is I drink way too much soda. I have written about that in past posts, due to the fact it cleans out my pipes. When I don’t drink the carbonated soft drink I end up sounding like a squeaky stair or house and the noise is quite annoying at least to me. Others, they laugh at all the strange noises I seem to be making. I should tighten my belt up and say okay I am going to make strange noises in public and there is nothing to be ashamed about, but that is something that has not happened yet.
What I like about Meyer’s book about making good habits is the fact that she has done her homework and has some great insight on breaking the cycle. One of the things she suggests is not focusing on what you do not want to do, but instead on what you want to do. It is a brain game that we play with ourselves. If we focus on what we don’t want to do guess what happens, if you guessed it will make us run out and do it then you got it. I am one of those people, especially when it comes to drinking soda or eating for my emotions.
Here are Meyer’s suggestions for breaking a bad habit. I like the concepts she presents.
1) Be very committed and willing to suffer for a season if necessary.
2) Be very careful what you say about the habit.
3) Think positive, faith filled thoughts about your journey.
4) Believe even when you have not seen results yet.
5) Reflect on what other behaviors your bad habits are connected to and change the pattern
6) Focus on the one thing you want to change right now.
7) Examine the dangers of continuing the habit may be.
She also offers 7 pillars for good health. I know some of these things, but it is good to be reminded.
Pillar 1: Drink lots of water- one must drink half their body weight in water a day. (I know this; I know the value of drinking water. My goal has been 3 liters a day and sometimes that is a huge challenge for me. I have found some great tools to help me with that. One is a water bottle with the measurements on it so I know how much I am in taking. Two is that there is a produce that flavors the water and is not bad for you.)
Pillar 2: Get plenty of sleep and rest. (I know this too, that is why I make it a priority to sleep at least 5 hours a night to 8 hours depending on what is going on in my health at the moment. I have even gone to the doctor to get Trazadone to help me on this quest. Before I was only getting 3 hours a sleep and that was causing me stress.)
Pillar 3: Eat quality food. (I am still working on this. I am doing better than I once did. I have included brown rice, antioxidant foods, and super foods into my diet plan, but I do have cravings for ice cream and other junk food type of things. Adding vegetables and high fiber foods is a priority for me. I feel so much better when I eat them. My auto-immune and inflammation is better handles and so is my diabetes.)
Pillar 4: Exercise. (I am getting back into the grove of movement. I have had a season of non-movement due to my breathing issues and living with a trach. I have a great team of doctors and one suggested pulmonary rehabilitation which I am happy to say I will be starting in March. Two days a week I will be building my body up to move and breathe at the same time.)
Pillar 5: Supplements. (I do not have a lot of money to pay for all the supplements I desire to take. But I do take two every day, folic acid and Vitamin D 3. I take the folic acid because a few of the medicines I take for my chronic illness eats it up like candy. And I am a believer that everyone needs D3 in their pile of pills. I know I feel so much better when I take it.
Pillar 6: Detox. (I am not sure what kind of detox to do. That is something I am researching. I have to be careful. I have to be mindful of what I choose to detox with. Right now that is not a priority of mine, but I am detoxing from the stress in my life. Meaning, I am choosing to stay away from negative people, emotions, and focus on what I can do and what I need to do to be who I am in God.)
Pillar 7: Cope with stress. (Stress is a killer. Excess stress causes a whole host of medical issues. And I know I function better, make wiser choices when I am peaceful in my mind and spirit. That is why I have been getting rid of things that cause me stress and working for the solutions so that I am managing what I need to do so that the big chaos button is not pushed and I get sicker.)
One statement that Meyer’s wrote in her book brought me a lot of reflection on my own life, my own journey “Take responsibility for y our own joy and happiness and never again base it on what someone else does.” I am reminded that this is one of the lessons I have been learning on my own journey. Taking responsibility for my own health, my own joy, and how I view what happens in my life. It is a challenge, but if I choose to run and hide under the bed then I am coping out and I don’t want to be seen as a cop-out.
I recommend this book. I enjoyed this book. I am glad for the reminders in scriptures and quotes that will aide me on my journey of health. Thank you Joyce Meyers!
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