My 6 Worst Habits and How I Am Fixing Them

I am not a perfectionist. However, my belief is that if I create a system of order in relation to my goals, the grander things in my life will align themselves for my desires. Therefore, I have constructed a program for myself that helps with my worst habits and I have seen results both immediate and long-term. The following is a list of my worst habits and how I am transmuting them into what is beneficial for me.

Habit 1 I Was Frequently Disorganized

How I Fixed It I Became Robotically Organized

I was tired of losing track of everything: homework, papers, items, etc. I couldn't focus if there was disarray in my space, my bag, my mind. I contemplated being organized, but I could not visualize myself as an organized person. Once I removed the barrier of self-doubt and gave myself the chance of seeing myself as an orderly individual, things began to change. To keep myself on track, I began organizing everything, even the smallest items. I documented all of my books in a catalog system, color coordinated my art supplies, crafted robotic routines to get things done, etc. I categorized my goals and documented how many products I made monthly on my online store. I made sure that everything had a place and threw or gave away excess items I didn't need. Having a system of order to catch me if I fell forced me to practice being organized. I didn't realize I was becoming successful at it until a few people were surprised at how organized my Bucket Book (goals binder) was. I began implementing charts into my life (and deleting them if they created confusion). From time to time, I still experience disorder, but this time, I know that I have the ability to change the circumstances or at least how I approach them.

Habit 2 Procrastinating

How I Fixed It By Imagining Disappointed Faces and Lecturing Myself

There are certain projects I simply do not want to do. If it is something that needs to be done, I lecture myself as if I am five years old. I tell myself how upset people will be if I do not finish a certain thing. I see the anger in their faces, the sighs of frustration. I put my reputation at stake. It sounds quite dramatic but it has helped me to finish numerous projects.

Habit 3 Low Self-Esteem

How I Fixed It Amping Up Other People

Whenever I am feeling sad about myself or a situation, the quickest way to eliminate this mood is to find someone who is feeling worse. Because they are more unhappy, I redirect my energy into bringing them happiness. My entire focus goes into brightening their mood. Usually, during a talk, I begin to feel better. The sad person helps me to visibly see the cloud of disheartenment. Giving them energy gives me energy.

Habit 4 Eating Certain Bad Foods

How I Fixed It Labeling the Food as Poison and Imagining Physical Deterioration

I have a sweet tooth and my battle to conquer it has been lengthy. I'll see a candy bar, rich dishes slathered in sauces, cake, chocolate covered anything, my favorite soda, fresh cookies, spicy fried dishes and my body wants to go grab ten plates. How I am winning this battle is using words and images. Every time I want something that is not healthy for me, I call it POISON. Sometimes I fail at it, other times I don't. Most of the time, however, calling it poison ruins my appetite. I imagine deteriorating bones and people having difficulty walking up the stairs. I imagine heavy breathing and sugar eating away at my body. I ask myself if this candy bar is worth my health. "Don't you want real food? Don't you want to be running and jumping at 376 years old?" It has helped me to have the power over my sweet tooth.

Habit 5 Being Jealous

How I Fixed It Imagining the Upgrade and Downgrade of Faces. Also, Being Supportive

Sometimes, I will get jealous, which surprises me. I might see a beautiful person or a highly educated person and be jealous or intimidated. I never treat the person rudely, but I will make an extreme effort to be kind to them and to place them in the spotlight if necessary. I feel that this balances off the envy. If the jealousy becomes overwhelming, I will go for a walk and sit somewhere quietly. I ask myself why I am feeling this way and how can I create the qualities I see in the other person in myself. If this does not work, I remind myself that almost every person cannot live for an eternity. Nobody remembers the glamour man or woman if they stepped into this modern age. Their youthful looks deteriorated on average. The body that they flaunted in their youth would have a different reaction from most if flaunted at a certain age. Beauty is relative. Geniuses are debatable. In some century, there was a random person feeling jealous of another. But hardly anyone remembers this person nor the one they envied. Therefore, I need to stop and enjoy life because my jealousy is ridiculous and I could be improving myself instead.

Habit 6 Giving Up and Quitting

How I Fixed It Finishing Whatever I Started or Revamping It - No Matter How Long It Takes

Giving up and quitting is usually my first desire if projects or situations are not going the way I wanted or planned. The only time that I give up on something is if it is toxic or guiding me away from my enlightened purpose. There are art pieces I have halted working on, goals and new habits. I become disillusioned and angry, sometimes, and I want to walk away from chaos instead of being strategic. The way I began handling this problem was utilizing discipline and positive self-talk. I remind myself of all of the goals that I have completed successfully. I reflect on bad situations that straightened themselves out. The author, Florence Scovel Shinn wrote in one of her books about a woman completing unfinished sewing projects in order to manifest what she desired and to remove the barrier blocking it. I imagine that when I do not complete a task it is sending a message that I do not finish anything. Therefore, I make it a priority to complete what I have begun or turn it into something else. I have cut up unfinished art pieces and turned them into collages. I have completed book manuscripts that sat in my folder for years. I have confidence in knowing that no matter how many decades pass, I will bring my goals into fruition. To motivate myself, I think of people in history who overcame situations that would have destroyed another person. I think of my Afrikan ancestors who survived the Great Maafa (Holocaust) and continued to live on through their descendants. I think of a devoted pilgrim who spent many months walking and bowing for endless miles until he had reached the Dalai Lama or people with missing limbs who become artists, athletes and more. If they can do it, I can too. If it took a person near the end of their life to get a high school diploma, then surely, I will enter a Masters Program before my life ends. I take my time knowing that it is already done.