Self-Regulation, Habit, and Fun

Of all the challenges folks face in life my experience in therapy with people suggests that self-regulation, the capacity to control your energies, thoughts and actions, is the most important learned skill. Folks that do it well tend to have balanced and fulfilling lives. Folks that struggle to self-regulate tend to have poor relationships, addictions, and other problems.

Peterson and Seligman (2004, p. 510) offer the following practical observation and recommendation: "To live a balanced, well-regulated life, it may be necessary to recognize that the capacity for controlling oneself depends on a limited resource that needs to be managed effectively and conserved for the most pressing or important demands. In practice, this entails that much of life must be guided by habit, routine, and other automatic processes, so that the demands for conscious control over oneself are kept down to the level that the self's limited resources can meet."

I believe this is wonderful, sage advice, the kind our grandparents would have given us. So, find yourself a healthy routine in 2006 and stick to it. This does not mean that there is never any room for impulsiveness or creativity. On the contrary, good routine opens up the possibility for healthy creativity and fun by stabilizing our energies so that we have the resources for fun.

Develop some good habits in 2006 and have some fun!