Habits are a hot topic. There are books and books out there that explore habits. https://fourminutebooks.com/best-habit-books/. We are drawn to the topic because we know that great habits can help us live disciplined, healthy lives. Bad habits can of course bind and derail us. Either way, we should make a habit (see what I did there) of noticing ours.

My good friend—and favorite influencer— Duane https://www.duanemartinz.com/ frequently shares about his gratitude habits. If you are lucky enough to hear him speak at an event, he might talk about how he intentionally passes his habits practices on to his sons.

Duane’s son Cody was a senior in a playoff game where they either won or went home. Duane was seated just above the team, so he heard what the coach said during their team’s final timeout: get the ball in Cody’s hands. The clock showed four seconds left in the game. Cody’s team was down by one. An inbounder took the ball out on the sideline. Cody cut and squirmed and fought to get open, ultimately receiving the inbound pass. Four seconds isn’t much time, but it is amazing what can happen on a basketball court in mere seconds. I won’t do this story justice (so go read about it in Duane’s book, Becoming Your Own Champion https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Your-Champion-Duane-Martinz/dp/1074863542), but long story short: Cody got off the shot the coach wanted . . . and the shot fell short.

Game over. Season over. High school career over.

Devastating, right?! Even if you aren’t a sports person, you can imagine how Cody felt at that moment. A few hours later, though, on the same night of that young man’s shining-moment-turned-heartbreak, Cody sat down and wrote out five things that he was thankful for that very day.

The point of Cody’s story is the he was able to add to his gratitude journal that day not because he just happened to be an extra grateful person, and not because his parents forced him to. Cody was able to sit down and add to his gratitude journal that day because he had established the healthy habit.

When you think about this story, and your own habits, what comes to mind? Ask yourself:

• What healthy habits/disciplines am I committed to?

• What healthy habit(s)/discipline(s) would I like to put energy into?

• What one thing might I do right now to establish/reestablish a healthy habit(s)?

Let me know what you come up with! Meanwhile, happy habit-ing! (I like making nouns into verbs.)