"Our character is basically a composite of our habits. Habits are a powerful factor in our lives because they express our character and produce our effectiveness. A habit can be defined as the intersection of knowledge (the what to do), skill (how to do it), and desire (the motivations to do it). We need all three to form a habit."
Stephen R. Covey

This week we had an amazing opportunity to read a summary of the book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey. I have heard of this book numerous times but have not read the book. I was very intrigued by this article, especially how the first 3 habits (Be Proactive, Begin with the End in Mind, Put things first) help encourage us to have private victories) and the 2nd three habits (Think Win/Win, Seek First to Understand, Synergize) are public victories as we learn to work with others. The last habit, Sharpen the Saw, pulls everything together and helps us to learn to make them effective in all areas of our lives.
We were asked to choose one of the habits that had the most meaning to us. Choosing one was not hard. One habit spoke to me, ok, it has been screaming in my head all week. That habit happens to the first one. Be Proactive. This use to be me, who I was. I was a go-getter. I was outgoing. I was bubbly. I didn’t care what others thought of me or even said about me. Reading this summary of habit #1, was very eye-opening and humbling. I have shed a few tears this week, wondering where I have gone and why I have been hiding away. Just as it talks about in this article I reacted to life and let life dictate who I should be, who I was, and how I should react to the difficult choices that have crossed my path. I let the voices of the world and those who I trusted penetrate my soul and I saved those physical words. For years I reread them, recited them in my mind. My heart and mind created a reality of who I was now, from those words. 
That is not who I am. I am a strong and valiant Child of God. I have a strong foundation and testimony of Christ and who I am and who I should be. It has taken me a long time to get to where I am now. I am not who I use to be. I am empowered to reach through and take my life back. Those damaging words have been deleted and burned. 
Years ago, I was an angry person. I am not exaggerating. I reacted to everything, the smallest things would set me off and I would go into rages of mean ugly anger. That was until one day I said enough was enough. I reached out for help. I was taught and encouraged to “Act instead of React to situations.” It is harder than it seems at times. Every day I must work hard to not be that angry person anymore, I pray fervently for help each day because I know I cannot do it alone. I love the person I am becoming. I pray my children will someday forgive me for the person I was and see that I am trying to become someone who can change and that works hard to become something better. 
As I look to my future, when I think of being proactive. I see myself taking chances and not being afraid to fail. Not being afraid to put myself out there again and again. When I do fail, because we all do, that I will have the courage to pick myself up again and to try again.  I want to use fear to motivate me to keep trying, to keep moving forward; no matter what the world says.
One thing I wish all young people believed and knew was that failing doesn’t mean you are done or that you wasted your time. Sometimes you just need to leap, the direction doesn’t even matter. The act of taking a step into the unknown – a leap of faith- is huge and empowering. This shows our trust and our desire to be proactive in our own lives. 
    So many people these days seem paralyzed to move forward. Afraid of making the wrong decision or choices. Afraid like me, to put themselves out there when the world beats them down. We need to show them that it is ok, that we have faith in them. To reach out, with support, and encourage the rising generation. We need to show them that we believe in them, through our words and actions.

"It is in the ordinary events of every day that we develop our proactive skills. It is in the little things that we show our true character traits. Our response to the little irritations in life will also affect responses to disasters." Stephen R. Covey



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