--- title: "Let's Choose the Life Habits That Do Us Good" url: "https://books.mutin.life/7/choose-life-habits-that-feel-good-and-do-good/79/let-s-choose-the-life-habits-that-do-us-good" --- # Let's Choose the Life Habits That Do Us Good Let us choose to adopt a measured way of life because it does us good. Us. Others. The environment that allows us to exist. Moreover, the one and only "symbol of success" of a person is the fact of being happy — that is, feeling in coherence with the environment indispensable to their survival. When we live in a measured way, we are in better health, we feel an inner coherence, we have more energy, and we are therefore happier. All the habits that do us good and are listed in this book concern consuming fewer of the planet's resources, and thereby releasing fewer greenhouse gases. Even when we choose to take a bicycle instead of a car to get around, the production of a bicycle required the extraction of the Earth's resources and generated greenhouse gases — but so much less, nevertheless, than the production of a car and its daily use. Small gestures like switching off the lights or using reusable coffee cups really weigh nothing in the balance next to tackling the real big problems that genuinely generate astronomical quantities of greenhouse gases and deplete the Earth's resources: - getting around by car - heating a home with a gas or oil boiler - buying a considerable quantity of products and services of every kind that are not essential for living: excess junk food, clothes, computers, smartphones, appliances... - flying - ... Changing our life habits takes time at first. It is difficult. Because it requires thinking about it beforehand, organising ourselves, concentrating on what we are doing, taking the time to consciously perform new gestures which are, as a result, not as quick as our old habits. But once the new habits are in place, we no longer think about them; they have become reflexes, and we are once again quick and effective. Besides feeling better, in better health, physical and inner. At first it takes an effort, it is true; it is not very pleasant in the early days. It is a bit like pedalling in the first days when we have not exercised for a long time, or like starting to eat vegetables when we are among the sugar addicts. The first days are thus not very pleasant. Nevertheless, as the days go by, these new habits become pleasant — it is even surprising. The body has grown used to them and integrates their beneficial effects, to the point that it is the body itself that starts demanding to go pedalling because the calves itch with the urge to move, or demanding vegetables because the body remembers how much good they did it, inside, for its health, from eating them regularly. Admittedly, the craving for vegetables will never be as strong as the withdrawal felt by sugar addicts. Nevertheless, it will make itself felt — and even after too big a dose of sugar it is worth it, precisely because the body knows that eating green vegetables right afterwards will help it mitigate the damage that this overly violent sugar intake will cause. The key is to change habits one after the other, climbing small steps each time — easy to climb, one after the other. To become aware of our progress each day, we can note down every evening each small step that has stuck and become a life habit. Let us note 10 small positive things that happened in each of our days, to realise and take in everything that does us good in our life. Start with one small step. And continue only with small steps. Once a small step has become a habit, a reflex, there is no more need to think about it; it is no longer an effort. We can choose another small step. We then feel within us, every day, the benefits of these new habits that do us good. Moreover, action does us good. Action is the only way to cancel fear and anxiety. On top of that, we are proud of our virtuous social status, proud of our measured way of life, which shows in the well-being and inner coherence we feel — which others can see, and which makes them want, in turn, to follow the same path. It really is worth it. - The fact, for example, that exercise is addictive is already a well-known phenomenon. Quite simply because feeling good in one's body is addictive. We want to keep feeling good. We no longer want to leave these inner sensations that are so pleasant. There are other examples. - No longer eating processed products, or as little as possible: when we stop mainly consuming frozen meals, tins of ravioli, pasta, sugary drinks, spreads, yoghurts, alcoholic drinks, aperitif crackers, packets of biscuits... we are in far better health, and we feel it inside. - Eating only vegetables in the evening. Eating very early, like the English, around 5 or 6 pm for example, or even earlier. Or even: not eating at all in the evening. It is addictive because digestion is so light that we fall asleep faster and sleep better. It is addictive to sleep so well and to wake up so refreshed in the morning with a body that has been able to "do its housekeeping". Especially when we practise intermittent fasting, which consists of taking our meals within an 8-hour window — by skipping dinner for example — allowing the body to fast and clean itself from the inside. - Getting around by bicycle It is addictive to feel one's body supple and toned from pedalling regularly. It is addictive to feel the energy that comes from a body that regularly engages in physical activity. When we have not cycled for a day or two, we start to feel the lack; the urge to pedal itches. It is a virtuous circle. - Stretching 10 or 15 minutes a day It is addictive to feel one's body supple and relaxed through stretching. It is addictive to take a break in one's day to calm the brain. For example in the evening before going to bed, to prevent the brain from churning all night. The more relaxed we are, the less we throw ourselves at all kinds of drugs, whether food, sugar, tobacco, alcohol, series and films watched via streaming, impulse purchases of clothes and objects of every kind that are not really necessary... - Going to bed early, with no screens beforehand It is addictive to go to bed early without having been glued to a screen just before: indeed, the light of screens in the evening before bed prevents us from falling asleep. Moreover, the hours of sleep before midnight are the most beneficial. It is addictive to sleep well and wake up refreshed the next day. It is addictive to know that, whatever happens early in the evening, we have decided to stop doing what we are doing in order to sleep and finally rest. Finally, we often forget to think about or see what is positive in our lives. Let us think of it regularly during our day, or write it down each evening before going to bed, for example. We are lucky to: - live in a country at peace and in a democracy - have enough to eat - live under a roof, heated in winter - wear warm clothes in winter - have free time, if only to go for a walk: weekends, evenings, holidays - share moments with our loved ones - ... *"When we have enough to feed and shelter ourselves, why chase money and power?"* Sapiens - A Brief History of Humankind - Yuval Noah Harari Let us choose the life habits that do us good.