If you ask ten people on the street what the word
habit means, nine out of ten will tell you that a habit is a negative
action that people do over and over again, like smoking, or
procrastinating, or eating too much. Bad habits get all the press.
Let’s look at the results of just one bad habit: smoking. Every year,
over 400,000 people lose their lives to smoking-related illnesses in
the United States. Imagine then, the negative power that exists in
just that one bad habit. It is staggering.
Now I want you think about an even greater power, a
power that can bring you success, health and happiness; a power for
positive, permanent, and automatic personal growth: the power of
positive habits. Let’s look a little closer at the meaning of the word
habit. Random House dictionary defines habit in this way:
Habit: An acquired behavior pattern regularly followed
until it has become almost involuntary.
The important words in this definition are acquired
and almost involuntary. Let me ask you a question. When is the last
time you sat down and said to yourself, "Today I am going to add a new
habit to my life?" I would venture to guess that you have probably
never said those words. As you read this article, you will see how
easy it is to add positive habits to your life and the great power
they have to change it. Think about the words almost involuntary. This
means the habit is so powerful in your mind that it is almost
unstoppable! With respect to bad habits like smoking, procrastination,
and overeating, this is very bad. But with positive habits, this is
very, very good.
What is a positive habit? A positive habit is simply a
habit that produces positive benefits, actions and attitudes you want
to acquire and make a part of your life. Why is there such great power
in positive habits to effect change? Because habits, by their very
nature, are automatic. After a period of time they can become
permanent.
So how do we go about adding new positive habits to
our life? It’s really quite easy. You simply begin repeating an
action, attitude or thought process every day for at least 21 days.
Research has shown that an action that is repeated for a minimum of 21
days is likely to become a permanent habit. Remember that positive
habits have positive benefits and you will reap those benefits for as
long as you maintain that habit. So now that we know what positive
habits are, and how to acquire them, let’s look at some simple
positive habits from the book that will help you reach your goals and
have a healthier body.
Positive Habit #53 - Make it a habit to set goals
Since we are talking about goals, what better habit
could you have then the habit of setting goals? Did you know that the
most successful people all share the common positive habit of goal
setting? A study was done to determine the importance of goal setting.
College students who had gone on to achieve great success in business
were asked to list their habits. The students who had made a habit of
setting goals were in the top 3% of earnings in the population! It is
almost impossible to overestimate the value of goal-setting as a
positive habit. Goal setting is simple, yet 97% of the population
never do it. By making goal setting a positive habit, you can start
placing yourself in the top 3% of the population of successful people.
Here are some simple steps to help you start making
goal setting a positive habit:
Step 1 - Define your goals, write them down, and be
very specific; capture your goals on paper. It is amazing how many
people never take the time to write down exactly what it is they want
in life. Remember, you can’t hit a target if you don’t have one.
Step 2 - Determine what the time line is for reaching
your goals; set specific deadlines for each goal.
Step 3 - Identify any obstacles that may stand in your
way, list them, and state how you plan to overcome them.
Step 4 - Make a list of the people and/or
organizations who will help you reach your goals.
Positive Habit #3 - Take Flax Every Day for a Healthy,
Trim Body and Lower Cholesterol!
What is flax?
Flax is a blue-flowering plant known for its oil-rich
seed. People have been eating flaxseed since ancient times, it has a
pleasant, nutty flavor. The health benefits of flaxseed and flaxseed
oil are significant and for that reason this habit is recommended as a
primary habit for health and a trim and fit body. Here are some of the
benefits of flaxseed and flaxseed oil:
Flaxseed contains both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Several studies have shown that flaxseed can help to lower cholesterol
in the same way that other soluble fiber foods like oat bran and fruit
pectin do. A study at the University of Toronto showed that total
cholesterol levels dropped 9% and LDL (the "bad" cholesterol)
decreased 18% among a group of women who ate milled flaxseed cooked
into bread every day for a period of 4 weeks.
Flaxseed is one of the richest sources of lignans and
alpha-linolenic acid. Studies suggest that lignans may help to prevent
certain cancers. Flaxseed is one of the few plants in the plant
kingdom that provide a high ratio of alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3
fatty acid) to linoleic (omega-6 fatty acids), it is an excellent
source of healthy polyunsaturated fat.
A new study has confirmed that the positive habit of
taking flax seed daily can help you get a trim and fit body. I
interviewed Dr. Sam Bhathena, a researcher at the Phytonutrients
Laboratory of the US department of Agriculture, he said, "we have
observed that flax seed meal is much more effective in lowering
cholesterol then soy. Several other studies have shown that in
general, omega-3 fatty acids,lower lipid deposition, and help in
reducing body weight."
Omega-3 fatty acids — More than half the fat contained
in flaxseed is omega-3 fatty acid type, an essential fatty acid. There
have been numerous studies reporting the health benefits of consuming
omega-3 fats. Recent studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids which
are abundant in flax seed can help protect you from coronary artery
disease, stroke, high blood pressure, autoimmune and inflammatory
disorders. Studies on the effects of flax seed on breast cancer are
now under way. Omega-3s can also help boost your metabolism, helping
your body to burn calories faster.
Flax is available as raw seed, ground seed and also as
an oil which is made by cold pressing flax seeds. You can purchase raw
flax seed, ground flax seed and flax seed oil at most health food
stores. The easiest way to incorporate flax seed into your diet is to
buy ground flax seed meal and add it to your food.
· Substitute for cooking oil or shortening in
baked goods.
· Add ground flax seed to pancakes, waffles and cereals.
· Put ground flax seed on salads.
Here is a great recipe for a super health shake.
Make a protein shake with 8 ounces of your favorite juice such as
apple or orange, add 2 tablespoons of flax seed oil, 2 tablespoons
of soy powder, 1 tablespoon of lecithin, fresh fruit such as
bananas, papayas or blueberries. Blend with a hand blender or an
electric blender. This power shake will provide you with the
health benefits of soy; omega-3’s, fiber, antioxidants, and
enzymes from the fruit, and the fat loss benefits of lecithin.