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The other day, my 12 year old son, Raif, and I were reading The Big Life Journal (Teen Edition). I try to set aside 5-10 minutes a day so we can read a few pages of this simple yet powerful book together. It is such great mindset practice for both of us.
The book talked about how doing something for the first time is often hard, but if we do it over and over again, it starts to get easier.
Raif smiled and exclaimed “ Yup! Practice makes perfect! When we practice something over and over again, we get better at doing it. ”
‘Sure do" I said, "and what do you think happens when you practice something 'incorrectly' over and over?"
“What do you mean?” he asked….
“Well, what if you practice a habit incorrectly, like an "uppercut" or a "hook" (Raif has been boxing since he was little)? What if you practice with your weight on the wrong foot or your elbow at the wrong angle?…What do you think will happen?”
“You’ll get perfect at doing it wrong.”
Bingo.
I don't tend to say "Practice makes perfect." I prefer "Practice makes PERMANENT".
I think the first person I ever heard use this phrase was Laura Nonyelum Hayes. She's a phenomenal personal trainer, choreographer, and lifestyle coach. One day, when we were working out together and she was tweaking my form, she said '"Practice makes permanent" and I got it.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary states that, in addition to the word "perfect" meaning “proficient and flawless”, it also means "complete and total". So, in other words “finished”. And in my mind that equates to “permanent”.
Quick aside -- I don’t really believe anything is actually permanent. I believe we always have the ability to change and shift and grow, but I use the saying “practice makes permanent” because it wakes me up when I am practicing something that I don’t ultimately want.
I ask myself "What habit am I practicing right now and do I want that habit to solidify and be with me forever?" If that habit is not moving me towards my ultimate goals or is making me feel bad in the process, the answer is a absolutely "no"!
One bad habit iI used to practice was my "negative self-talk".
From the moment I woke up in the morning, I found myself criticizing my body, my career, even my housekeeping! This "negative self-talk" chatted in my head all day long. I criticized my looks, my cooking, how much work I was (and wasn't) getting done and how well I was parenting my son.
"You're not good enough", my inner critic repeated over and over again "You're not pretty enough, smart enough, hard-working enough and you haven't accomplished enough!!" What an exhausting thing to hear that type of criticism on loop!
Finally, one day it hit me. My "negative self-talk" had become a bad habit and since I was practicing it day in and day out, it was becoming (practically) permanent, making it harder and hard to undo. I knew I had to make a change.
I began to watch my thoughts. Each time a "negative self-talk" thought came into my mind, I questioned and reframed it. I literally turned it around!
One of my favorite things to do is create my own unique affirmation and attach it to a melody that I can sing to myself all day long.
And I can teach you how to do that too! Click here to enroll in my SIMPLY SING YOUR TROUBLES AWAY Empowerment Course (no singing skills required!)
Now, turning my "negative self-talk" into positive, empowering affirmations has become my habit, because...
Practice makes permanent!
What practices are you making permanent in your life? Let me know in the comments below.
All my love,
Rhonda
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Until then...
May THE FORCE WITHIN be with you!
Rhonda Ross is a singer-songwriter, an Emmy-nominated actress, and a Personal Power Practitioner. For musical, speaking or workshop bookings: email info@TheRhondaRoss.com
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