I’ve been thinking a lot about habits lately
Not the big, dramatic ones we obsess over at the start of a new year, but the quiet, everyday ones that shape us in ways we don’t always notice. The way we start our mornings, how we spend the in-between moments, what we turn to when we’re tired or restless. These little choices seem insignificant in the moment, but over time, they define us.
And if I’m being honest, I’ve had my fair share of mind-numbing habits. The late-night scrolling that somehow turns five minutes into an hour. The predictable shows I watch just to have background noise. The easy distractions that keep me occupied but don’t actually add anything to my life. It’s not that any of these things are inherently bad – it’s just that, if I’m not careful, they start to take up space that could be used for something better.
Because here’s the thing: every habit either expands your mind or dulls it. There’s no real neutral ground.
I’ve noticed that when I replace passive distractions with something that stretches me – whether it’s reading a book that challenges my thinking, writing down my thoughts instead of just absorbing everyone else’s, or diving into a new skill that forces me to struggle a little – my entire perspective shifts. I feel more engaged, more curious, more awake. And I start to see the world differently.
That doesn’t mean I never waste time or that every moment has to be productive. Rest matters. Fun matters. But I’ve learned that there’s a difference between rest that refuels me and habits that drain me. The difference is in the intention.
Reading a book isn’t just reading – it’s entering someone else’s mind, seeing the world through their eyes, questioning what I thought I knew. Writing isn’t just putting words on a page – it’s making sense of ideas, capturing clarity, turning vague thoughts into something real. Even conversations feel different when I’m fully present, instead of half-listening while my mind is somewhere else.
The hardest part is getting started.
The numbing habits are so easy. They ask nothing of us, and they give us instant comfort. Meanwhile, the habits that expand us – learning, creating, thinking – often feel like work before they feel rewarding. But once you push through that initial resistance, once you start seeing the impact, it becomes impossible to ignore.
I’ve seen this shift play out not just in my own life, but in the leaders and teams I work with. The people who grow the most aren’t necessarily the ones acknowledged to be the smartest or the most talented – they’re the ones who are willing to engage, to challenge themselves, to replace autopilot with intentionality.
And I know it’s not always easy. Life is busy. There’s never enough time. But that’s exactly why this matters. Because time is going to pass anyway. The question is: What are we feeding our minds while time continues to tick away? Are we numbing ourselves into routine, or are we expanding into something more?
Lately, I’ve been making a conscious effort to replace the mindless with the mindful. Less scrolling, more reading. Less consuming, more creating. Less distraction, more presence. I don’t get it right every time, but I can feel the difference. And I know that, in the long run, these small shifts add up.
So if you’re feeling stuck, or uninspired, or just a little too comfortable in the routine of things – maybe it’s time to swap the numbing for the nourishing.
Start small.
One habit at a time.
And see what happens when you make space for the things that make you think, grow, and come alive.