Where slavery to habits dies, man is born.
Jorge Angel Livraga
We all have habits. Some are good, useful, they make our lives easier and more beautiful, while others create small or big problems for us and others.
Habits are usually adopted unconsciously. We repeat them day after day and they become more and more a part of us, we stop being aware of them and they increasingly become automated. That is their power, but also a trap that makes us start living almost unconsciously, like robots. If we surrender to them and don’t question them, we become more and more under their control and more and more enslaved by them.
Each of us has surely tried to change at least one bad habit and faced the fact that it’s not easy at all. To achieve that, we must be highly motivated. For example, if we live in a messy way, we usually face our bad habits only when our health is seriously affected and we urgently try to change them. And then, usually, when faced with the seriousness of the situation, we succeed in doing so. However, when
There is not enough strong motivation, our bad habits persist and it is almost impossible to get rid of them.
But, in addition to the visible ones, our “invisible” habits are a much bigger problem. These are habits that relate to our thoughts and feelings, when we constantly think and feel in the same patterns, which often do not result in anything good and useful for us and for others around us. And it is precisely in these areas that we rarely or never deal with, that the habits that threaten our humane life are located. However, at the same time, that is where the secret lies in becoming a better and happier person. Because let’s not forget that our actions stem from our thoughts and feelings, they are our driving forces. We should foster nobler feelings and thoughts, instead of those encouraged by our current materialistic society.
How to change for the better, how to recognize and change our bad habits?
We all want to live a happy and fulfilled life. Each of us has the willpower that can enable us to achieve what we want. It is obvious that we lack The real motivation remains, the one that will push us towards positive change. We don’t lack information, we have too much of it anyway, but a better understanding of ourselves and the world we live in.
Tradition speaks of teachings that deal with fundamental life questions, which are precious to humans: What does it mean to be human? What is the purpose of one’s life? Humans have great abilities, but what should they do with them?
Practical philosophy provides answers to these questions. Philosophy directs humans towards true knowledge, and practical philosophy is intended for everyday application.
We have many examples of those who have shown and proven this. One of them is the Roman emperor, Stoic, Marcus Aurelius. He faced daily life situations, questioned himself and his actions, and through that, developed, we could say practiced, his own humanity and morality. This is how his famous book, “Meditations,” was created.
Our approach to our habits should be exactly like that. We need answers to fundamental life questions and their daily application that helps develop and strengthen what is human within us. This can be a deep, genuine motivation, an inspiration for all our efforts. On this journey, we will find it easier to cope with our habits and easier to let go of the bad, harmful ones if we choose good and useful habits as our allies. Their power will be in “our hands”, in service of the humane, until one day we no longer need any habits because we will live with less automatism and more consciousness.