Part of what makes the journey of life worthwhile is the natural human tendency to grow, to progress, to become better people. In that spirit, here are a few habits that I believe are worth embracing in 2021.

Non Anger
I used to believe that anger served a purpose. Over the years, I have learned that this is very rarely the case. Reacting with anger can sometimes achieve short term results, but at the cost of long term damage. Best to let it go to the extent possible.

Non Judgment
Every person is different, and that makes them neither better nor worse than you. When you give up judging people and relationships, you tear down walls and open yourself up to a better and more fulfilling life. And yes, don’t judge yourself either!

Non-Reactivity
Between stimulus and response, there’s a precious time gap. In that time gap, you have the power to choose how to act, what to say, what to do. Reacting to stimuli rarely pays dividends.Ten thoughts to a word, ten words to an action! True power lies in self-control.

Vegetarianism
The day you realize that no animal deserves to die to become food on your plate will be one of the pivotal moments in your life. You don’t need to eat meat to be healthier or stronger. Embracing Vegetarianism or Veganism will bring you a more compassionate worldview and a host of spiritual benefits that must be experienced to be believed.

Gratitude
You win some, you lose some… into each life, some rain must fall. If you fixate on what you don’t have, you’ll be shutting the doors on abundance for good. Focus on what you have, genuinely feel thankful for it daily, and see how your world changes.

Acceptance
The flow of life is almost completely beyond our control. After all, we are souls with thousands of years of accumulated karma that is continuously exerting it’s influence on our lives… so it’s foolish to even question why bad things happen to us sometimes. Just go with it, without questioning it. Quit saying “why me”!

Reading
There are few things in life as utterly pleasurable as getting lost in a good book! Reading books is like exercise for your mind. Immersing yourself in an engaging book focuses your attention and halts the mental chatter for a few precious moments. Can’t imagine life without books!

Less Social Media Consumption
While there’s nothing wrong with checking up on your social media accounts once in a while, incessantly scrolling through Instagram or Facebook feeds can be severely detrimental to your mental health. Over time, your self esteem will get inextricably linked to validation from people who mostly don’t even matter, and who mostly don’t give a s**t about you. What a terrible situation to be in.

Morning Exercise
A morning exercise routine will give you the much needed endorphin boost to power you through your day. You’ll be more upbeat, clear headed, and give off a better energy or “vibe” to those around you. You’ll be able to tackle challenges better, as you’ll have a whole lot more energy at your disposal.

Meditation
I saved the best for last. If you must take up just one new habit on 2021, let it be Meditation. Meditation is a true gift from God. Build a daily, disciplined Meditation practice into your daily life and see the magic that follows…

Wishing you all a victorious 2021. A blessed new year to you all.

– Aniruddha Bose,
Business Director, FinEdge Advisory

*Also published on: https://www.aniruddhabose.com/blog/10-habits-worth-embracing-in-2021*