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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by 64bowtie on October 7, 2004, at 10:02:31
* Why do habits rule my life? Does it matter?
* Do bad-habits cost me money?
* Will I live longer with good-habits?
* Is it a habit, or does it only feel like one?
* Do I have to know it for it to be a habit?
* Are they my habits, or am I sometimes a puppet?
* When I do bad things, can I blame it on habits?
* Who do I blame for creating bad-habits?
* How do I get good-habits after having bad ones?
* Do good-habits create good quality-of-life?Dictionary view:
1. A recurrent pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition.
2. An established disposition of the mind or character.
3. Customary manner or practice: a person of ascetic habits.
4. An addiction, especially to a narcotic drug.
Physical constitution.
5. Characteristic appearance, form, or manner of growth, especially of a plant or crystal.Premise:
Freedom from my bad habits is most of the freedom that has ever been promised me. The conundrum is that the payoff requiring effort on my part.So, I can find freedom if I change my ways? I just don't know for sure how much change I need.
A. How much do I have to change to feel free?
B. What do I change first, even if I'm willing?
C. Who knows how to find this freedom?Please help me with my habits, good or bad.
Rod
Posted by pegasus on October 7, 2004, at 12:21:09
In reply to What's in a habit, anyway?, posted by 64bowtie on October 7, 2004, at 10:02:31
Hi Rod,
Well, the best place that I've found to learn about habits and how to let go of them is in the Buddhist community. A lot of Buddhism is really about just that: Trying to find ways to remove ourselves from our habitual patterns, which is seen as the cause of most of our suffering. Buddhism has been around for 2500 years, so they've developed a ton of techniques to help with that. The basic one that all branches have in common is simple meditation.
Just a thought.
pegasus
Posted by AuntieMel on October 7, 2004, at 12:54:37
In reply to What's in a habit, anyway?, posted by 64bowtie on October 7, 2004, at 10:02:31
Comments are my views only. Take with a boulder of salt. My instinctive answer to "what is in a habit" was "a nun."
> * Why do habits rule my life? Does it matter?not all habits rule your life. Only the ones that you let ruin it. The ones that you *think* are ruling you are the only ones that matter, assuming the others are legal and moral.
> * Do bad-habits cost me money?
Who knows?
> * Will I live longer with good-habits?
Maybe - or maybe it will just *feel* like you are living longer.
> * Is it a habit, or does it only feel like one?
Does it matter?
> * Do I have to know it for it to be a habit?
No - but you have to know it for it to have a chance of mattering.
> * Are they my habits, or am I sometimes a puppet?
> * When I do bad things, can I blame it on habits?
> * Who do I blame for creating bad-habits?You can't blame anyone, except maybe yourself. They may be habits, but they are also choices.
> * How do I get good-habits after having bad ones?
One actually sensible thing Dr. Phil said was "you don't break a habit, you replace it with a different one."
It's a concious choice to do this, and the choice of which habit to replace it with is also your choice. One example is replacing eating with exercise. If you eat when you are bored, then walk when you are bored. It's simple, but it works.
> * Do good-habits create good quality-of-life?
>Not necessarily. Sometimes they create gas.
> Premise:
> Freedom from my bad habits is most of the freedom that has ever been promised me. The conundrum is that the payoff requiring effort on my part.
>
> So, I can find freedom if I change my ways? I just don't know for sure how much change I need.
>
> A. How much do I have to change to feel free?Who knows?
> B. What do I change first, even if I'm willing?
Start with one. I would pick the one that bothers me most - or the one that costs the most money.
> C. Who knows how to find this freedom?
>only you.
Posted by 64bowtie on October 7, 2004, at 13:51:21
In reply to Re: What's in a habit, anyway?, posted by pegasus on October 7, 2004, at 12:21:09
See! I knew I was on the right! A couple of billion Buddhists must be talking to my spirit, because this is very strong message I hear....
Rod
Posted by 64bowtie on October 7, 2004, at 13:55:36
In reply to Re: What's in a habit, anyway? » 64bowtie, posted by AuntieMel on October 7, 2004, at 12:54:37
Posted by 64bowtie on October 7, 2004, at 14:04:12
In reply to What's in a habit, anyway?, posted by 64bowtie on October 7, 2004, at 10:02:31
Perhaps:
Habits are to our actions what beliefs are to our reason... After all, some beliefs ARE habitforming. "Try tellin' that to a dogcatcher!" (Brother Dave Gardner, "Ain't That Wierd")
Rod
Posted by AuntieMel on October 7, 2004, at 14:22:51
In reply to Thanx again, AM... Together we persevere (nm), posted by 64bowtie on October 7, 2004, at 13:55:36
Posted by Atticus on October 8, 2004, at 10:26:34
In reply to What's in a habit, anyway?, posted by 64bowtie on October 7, 2004, at 10:02:31
A crabby nun.
This is the end of the thread.
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