Spring Clean your Life
Five healthy habits to help your life and business flourish
BY DR GEMMA ROUX, FLOURISH PSYCHOLOGY
“Habit is the best of all servants, or the worst of all masters.”
Nathaniel Emmons
Spring is in the air, and for many of us the promise of longer, warmer days motivates us to take action and ignites a desire to “spring clean” our life. Indeed, sunny days and balmy temperatures have been shown to increase optimism and boost energy levels, bringing unhealthy habits, which may have increased over the winter months, into sharp focus. Spurred on by this positive frame of mind, spring is an ideal time to throw open the windows of your life and toss out old unhelpful habits that are hindering your growth. By replacing them with habits that enhance your emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing, you are setting yourself up for success personally, and in your business. However, breaking old habits, and building new ones can be challenging. A habit is essentially a connection or neural pathway formed between a trigger (for example, stress) and a response (for example, eating), which is cemented through repetition and in this case, the pleasure that accompanies eating. The more frequently we eat when we feel stressed, the wider and stronger that neural pathway becomes, and the more likely we are to repeat the habit. The process of habit formation is a powerful neurological tool for survival and growth, but proves to be a double-edged sword when the habits that are laid down are unhealthy or even destructive.
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