HabitsBehaviorsBeliefs

There's a strong relationship between habits, behaviors, and beliefs.

Beliefs are the foundational values we espouse to be the drivers of our lives.  "Espouse" is the stuff we say we believe, not necessarily the stuff we act upon.  For instance, it is quite common for people to declare themselves followers of one religious faith or another, but their actions belie such conviction.

Behaviors are the truest manifestations of our commitments.  They are the "proof in the pudding," so to speak.  If we are persnickety about our clothes, then it is evident in the polish of our shoes, the fit of our shirts, the coordination of our ensembles.  If we are passionate about serving others, then it shows in the way we treat them, the effort we invest in assisting them, the dependability they find in us when they seek our help.

Even though our behaviors are the most reliable indicators of our beliefs, it's our HABITS that drive our behaviors.  The little habits we build into our lives - our manners or lack thereof, the way we spend our daily time, the act of suspending other tasks to focus on the person we are engaged with, the choice of foods we consume each day, the kinds of blogs/books/articles we read - are the drivers of our behaviors, and thus, the enforcers and reinforcers of our beliefs.

Our beliefs are evidenced in our behaviors, our behaviors are evidenced in our habits.

Habits are hard to initiate, and harder to change.  But if we want to truly affect some kind of serious change in our behaviors, then the place to start is with altering the habits that drive those behaviors.

It's a choice, you know.