Why Should We Change Our Habits?

Habits are actions that we perform unconsciously, repeating them daily, often without recognizing or considering their positive or negative consequences. There are good habits, such as maintaining your health through a balanced diet, exercising, listening to Dharma talks to keep your mind peaceful, and staying away from negative influences.  However, there are also bad habits, such as drinking alcohol, gambling, smoking, and being lazy—these habits not only harm your mental health but also negatively affect your relationships. Therefore, it’s crucial that we clearly identify which habits to maintain and which bad habits to eliminate in order to become the best version of ourselves.

Habits are often formed from our living environment and are significantly influenced by those around us. As the saying goes, "You become like those you spend time with," or "You are shaped by your surroundings," meaning that our habits are often a reflection of the environment and the people we interact with.

Changing a habit is a significant challenge that requires a great deal of effort and perseverance. For example, if you want to improve your health, the first thing you need to do is reevaluate your diet. Are you consuming unhealthy foods?  Are you staying up late instead of getting proper sleep to ensure a good night's rest? These behaviors need to be adjusted.

Many people believe that simply knowing many profound and positive principles will change their lives.  But in reality, no matter how many principles you’ve heard—from the teachings of elders or the well-meaning advice of those around you—your life won’t change unless you put those principles into practice. Principles alone cannot change your life; only you can apply them in your daily habits.

There are countless ways to live, such as listening to meditation teachers guide you in spiritual practice and meditation, but if you don't practice these teachings, they are like "water off a duck’s back."

Thus, principles alone are not enough to change a person’s destiny; they are not a universal cure for every problem.  If you want to change your fate, you must practice the principles you believe to be correct to improve yourself.

Principles are abstract and universal, but life isn’t like that.  Life is ever-changing, and each person’s life is unique.  Each of us is an independent individual, not someone who blindly follows the guidance of others. When you apply someone else's principles to your own life, they may not necessarily work. Hearing a principle a thousand times is not as effective as taking one small step to turn that principle into a habit.

Good habits are a powerful and enduring force that can control your life. No one is born with extraordinary abilities; success comes from the experiences gained through daily habits.

As someone once said, “Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.” Habits are the foundation of destiny; people live by their habits. Research shows that repeating an action for 21 days forms a habit, and repeating it for 90 days creates a stable habit.

Repeating an action for 21 days will turn it into a familiar habit, and repeating a thought for 21 days will turn it into a habitual thought. Once a habit is formed, it influences your subconscious, and your behavior changes without you even realizing it. Therefore, just acting once isn’t enough; you need to repeat the action many times to form a habit that leads to positive outcomes.

Change your bad habits, form good ones, keep the principles in your heart, and express them through your actions. When you have many good habits, living a good life will no longer be just a distant dream.