I vaguely remember reading about the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” I, of course, don’t remember much about the book by Stephen R. Covey, so I looked up the basic principles to refresh my memory:

  • Habit 1: Be Proactive® …
  • Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind® …
  • Habit 3: Put First Things First® …
  • Habit 4: Think Win-Win® …
  • Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood® …
  • Habit 6: Synergize® …
  • Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw®

The book itself was not personally impactful, but the idea of establishing good habits remains important in my life, even in retirement. I claim to have one good habit and many bad ones as I think about my daily routine. I also ponder how good life could be if I had seven, and I can’t even imagine what they would be. I start each and every day with a good habit…running. It keeps me “proactive” in my marriage. I get out of bed before my wife, do some stretching exercises, take care of the dogs, and go for a “chug.” (See Post #653). This gives her some space to get ready for work and allows me a sense of early morning accomplishment. I guess I could stretch this into three or four good habits all before 7:30 a.m., but as soon as my wife drives off to work there is no longer structure to my day. My very worst habit of the day is when she comes home and I open a bottle of wine. It’s my version of “Happy Hour” – I’m happy to see her and I like company when I drink. In my opinion, drinking alone is the worst habit of all. 

Together, my wife and I have several good habits like “Date Night,” “Movie Night,” “Meatless Monday,” “Schnauzerthons,” and “Monthly Anniversaries every 8th.” I still treasure and count every day with her. By the way, it’s day 7,206 of our relationship. She is my “synergy.” The running streak of 3,545 days pales in comparison to our “Love Streak;” both consist of habits that I never want to break. However, when I “put first things first,” it’s my marriage and family – the biggest “win” in my life. As I bathe in the twilight of my life, when my time on earth finally “ends,” I will rest assured knowing that I have enjoyed the fullest experience, filled with love, travel, accomplishment and adventure.

When I was still working, I would shower immediately after my daily run, put on my suit & tie, and drive to the office. Now, I skip those steps and often time go directly to my home office computer. No day is ever the same, and habits be damned. Sometimes, even to stop for a shower and shave seems like a major interruption, when they were once simply part of the routine and never a second thought. Now, I’m examining ways to shorten the process so I don’t put it off until afternoon. I had a conversation with a friend at the wedding reception we attended over the weekend in Austin. For some reason, we were having a discussion about the pros and cons of the Dollar Shave Club. He casually mentioned that he started shaving in the shower, so over the last couple days I’ve combined showering, brushing, and shaving to keep the mess out of the sink. Although it’s probably not environmentally beneficial, it somehow seems to feel less time consuming. This is not the first time that this particular friend has made an influential comment. The last time he changed one of my habits, he suggested the running streak idea. I should probably talk with him more often. Even once in a while you need to “sharpen the saw.”

Writing this blog is probably a good habit, although there isn’t a specific time that I have scheduled to type. Often times, while I’m running, I come up with ideas and poems. Other times, I just need to get the frustration of a favorite team’s loss off my chest, or the exasperation of trying to find my biological parents. Blogging helps me express my inner thoughts, as I “seek to understand and be understood.” I’ve tried to make it a daily habit and have committed to an article a day, even if it’s two today and none tomorrow. I realize that some are repetitive and some just aren’t very good. However, every once in a while, I feel a sense of satisfaction, particularly with the poems I write. It keeps me busy on long airplane journeys, and travels with me wherever I go. I hope you make a habit of reading it.