Gratitude is the surest pathway to health, happiness, and success. It shifts our attitude towards what we have rather than what we don't have."
Habits. We all have them and I think we are quick to recognize the bad ones. Leon Festinger in writing about habits refers to cognitive dissonance, the conflicting thoughts between behavior and attitudes. We want one thing but we do the very thing that keeps up from getting there. For example, if weight loss is an issue but you continue to drive through for pick up meals...well that is conflicting and nothing good happens.
However, not all of our habits are bad. Considering the fact that about 40% of daily activity is formed around habits, the majority probably cross the line to good. Habits help us stay on target toward the things that are really important to us and achieve goals. They also say a lot about priorities. I recently read "25 Best Habits To Have In Life" and, yes, exercise was #5.
It is one of the very best habits to have. It does an incredible amount of good. Not always the sweat dripping I need help getting to my car kind of exercise, but moderate exercise that gets your heart pumping and makes it a little hard to talk.
There were other habits on the list that do an incredible amount of good as well. The habit of "Gratitude" is second on the list. Gratitude helps change our focus from our problems and what we don't have to what we do have; from what's wrong with our lives to what's right with our lives. In fact, Anne Voskamp wrote a wonderful book, "1000 Gifts" teaching that "it's only in this life expression of gratitude that we discover the life we have always wanted". Gratitude. It's one of the best.
Resources: http://www.entrepreneur.com
Anne Voskamp "One Thousand Gifts"
