“ANT HABITS”

THE PAST WILL NEVER CHANGE they observed but the way we understand it, know about the past changes all the time”- Smithsonian Curators. For this reason, we have to carefully study a culture’s myth if we want to understand Civilization.

This reminds me of the story of the Queen termite in my own Life and my Biology class adventure in High School (We did not have access to the internet and certainly before Google!). The group of colleagues failed to find the Queen termite the day before not because they weren’t talented but because it seemed to me we lacked focus and determination to get the job done (Maybe we were just unlucky). The next day, I rose early before sunrise I was determined to find the Queen termite since biology was my favorite subject in High school, with the help of another friend with a mission we excavated random Termite Hill and persevered (the friend encouraged me to continue to dig when I wanted to give up!) in the Hot sun of Sub-Saharan Africa from morning until when the sun starts to set, the Ant Hill Architecture was breathing taking and most importantly the organization and strategic formation defense of the Ant soldiers from “intruders” was out of this world. We finally found the Queen termite enclosed in a special chamber many feet below the ground. A queen Termite can live 25 to 50 years, with peak egg production for up to 10 years. When the Queen dies and the pheromone she uses to block reproductive’ development is no longer produced, a new queen emerges. Stop and think for a minute how much would you pay if you could live longer than 6,000 weeks?

My mother would tell us stories about African folktales in our family about her parents (our grandparents, their humanity, sacrifices, and longevity) and how they would walk many miles from the Village to the farm before sunrise and then often have their first meal before noon! She would sometimes recite poetry from her memory (handed down from her African ancestry), and this has somewhat become a piece of music in my head “Go to the ant, you sluggard; observe his its way and be wise! It has no commander, overseer, or ruler, yet it prepares its food in the summer; it gathers at the harvest what it will eat”. Your story is your deepest longing, hopes, and fears and not only impacts life but also questions life and helps with ‘self-reflection’. If you don’t recognize your story you can’t change your own story, that’s therapy! What psychotherapy does is help someone shapes his narrative for a listener. I love an Igbo proverb that “tells us that a Man who doesn’t know where the rain began to beat Him cannot say where he dried his body.” What is the story you have been telling yourself in the last few weeks? As someone trained in psychotherapy, I would like to listen to your own story. Are you conscious of the stories you have been telling yourself, most people are not, until when the next Xmas bell rings again!

I finished my weekend retreat (strategic stop!), it was cold and I was immersed in the Osmocosm of nature, as I walked from the proverbial Cave to my own Seraglio. I sat down on a beautifully carved wooden chair supporting most of my weight, unperceptive of the weak beam of sunray in the distance. Looking at my “My Wellness Edge” (part of my Growth Plan) and hearing the rhythm of stories I have been telling myself despite we all entered the New Year with gratitude for this new chance to create our own stories and dreams of our best years “I asked myself how could I have been so stupid?” and fall off the metaphorical Wagon and the inevitable question is “ How do I not make such an idiot of myself in the future?” According to a 2020 study in PLos one state that for three consecutive years, polls indicated that 44% of respondents were either likely or very likely to make New Year resolutions for the upcoming year. Interestingly, the study found the practice of new-year resolution setting might be more common in the US, as similar polls in Sweden found 12% to 14% of people set goals for the New Year. I need to use my multiple lenses to read the study and wondered if our cultural mindset (individualistic versus collective society) affects our need to set resolutions and persevere in February when most of us don’t see the point in building new habits!

James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, suggests a proven framework for getting 1% better every day. If you can stick with your resolutions (for example losing weight), can get better just 1 percent better each day, you’ll end up with results that are nearly 37 times better after one year (Pause and think about the new you for a minute!) I am unaware of any “medications” that can give you that amazing result in a year without any side effects! Let us do a thought experiment, imagine if you could improve by 1% in most areas of your life and most importantly become a better human being. That’s what “My Daily Wellness Edge” will provide you, of course, you will have to do the hard work, and some of us will need the support of a Community of People with a Growth Mindset (Check out the link to my current Mastermind Group http//www.niranojomomdservices.com)

“YOU cannot go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” C.S LEWIS.

I’d liked to know what you think about this Blog, most importantly your own story of building a new habit in 2023 and how we can improve this platform to serve the Community.

Please share your stories and your comments!

Blog edited by Annabelle

FOOTNOTES:

1. Proverbs 6: 6-9
2. My wellness Edge Free copy-http// www.niranojomomdservices.com
3. Oscarsson M, Carlbring P, Anderson G, Rozental A. A large-scale experiment on New year’s resolutions: Approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals. PLos one.2020;15(120; eo234097
4. Atomic Habits, James Clear
5. National Wildlife Federation