Because it helps you to grow and get stronger.

Seedlings grown in a greenhouse need to be gradually exposed to the elements (stressors) to allow them to become strong and be able to survive on their own.  If a plant has lived all it's life protected in a greenhouse with no wind, no direct sunlight, water and food at the same time every day, it never needs to grow strong.  If this plant was then taken outside it would most likely break in the wind, burn in the sun or wilt and die from lack of water. (It has also been shown they have less of the amazing healing and anti-ageing chemicals like resveratrol hence why many super foods come from places like the himalayas and have less potency when grown commercially and in less extreme environments). 

In so many ways, we are like this.  If we are regularly exposed to new or greater stressors we grow stronger and are better able to adapt and cope with new and bigger things.  If however we never allow ourselves to step outside our comfort zones, never try new things, never get dirty or taste different foods our body and mind may be weak and unable to adapt when necessary.    Our immune system for one if not exposed to dirt, bugs and a variety of foods may never develop the ability to respond strongly when a really dangerous virus or bug attacks.

What can you do this week or this month to stretch yourself just a little and grow marginally stronger in one aspect of your life?  When life throws the big stresses at you that are unavoidable - will you be strong and well prepared or will it break you?  The key is GRADUAL exposure!

Use yourself as a scientific experiment.  I recently heard a lady refer to living her life as a scientific experiment.  As one might expect - she is a scientist however I thought this was a very constructive way of looking at life and in particular, our habits.  She suggests you take a look at your habits and ask "what works for me".  

If something is not working...

• consider tweaking it a bit to see if that will work better,
• swap it for a new habit, or
• discard it altogether.  

On the other hand, if a habit is working well for you...

• Is there a way you can make the habit even better and more constructive?  
• Can you link another great habit to it? or
• Can you find more opportunities to perform this habit?
• Or is it perfect for you just the way it is.

Habits are a new favourite topic of mine because, as Aristotle is noted to have said - "We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence then, is not an act but a habit."  Habits can help you or hinder you in living your best life. 

For more incentive to start looking at your habits, check out the book "The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olson available from our wonderful library.

Ok, so some kids / people just like drama and there is such a thing as a great imagination and creativity however the following did make me think.

Observation and scientific studies show that even an adult who feels they are not being listened to will start to stutter and mix the story up then they will start to embellish and make things up seemingly in an effort to attract more of the "listeners" attention.

How much time do you set aside to truly listen without distraction to your loved ones?  Could a few extra minutes of really listening and understanding change any of your relationships for the better?

Just a thought.  ~ Bel