The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-04-09
HABITS.

Man is the result of his education,
and his education Is only the sum of
his habits, or those things which he
has most habitually or repeatedly done.
In a certain sense the old saying, Line
upon line; precept upon precept," is
founded on correct principles. Repeti-
ton continued results In becoming a
part Of the man. This Is true not
only In an intellectual and moral sense,
but Is even more true in our physical
nature. The sum of healthy exercise
will make healthy muscular system.
The spasmodic, irregular and unwhole-
some exercises only can result In q
lack of formation of muscular strength
and muscular habits. What a man is
tells the story of what his habits have
been, and what his habits are deter
mines what he Is to be. This Is true
with all the voluntary functions of the
body, and is indirectly true with the
involuntary functions. The physical
tendencies of childhood and youth are
rarely ever changed throughout life;
and even later, we are constantly fall
ing into ways which follow uS in all
our future career. Not only are phys
ical habits thus established, but the
operation of the mind has the same
tendency. We think a thought, and 1t
is considered trifiing, but it returns,
and sometimes suggests itself third
time to us. In this way the same
thought recurs over and over in the
| nerve centers, and without our willing
it we find it present in the passive por-
tiOns Of the mental system until it
finally becomes a habit of the mind.
We are ever making ourselves over by
our thoughts and deeds. We can make
every action of our life, every thought
| of our mind effectual if we will. We
must devote good deal of thought to
the ought-to-be, the shall-be, and re-
member, that as we think, as we work,
so shall be the result.
Many of the ideas that we have in
| herited help to narrow and cramp the
inner life. We must change our habits
| of thought. The proper adjustment
to our life and environment and the
daily effort to gain ones noise and self
| control, is effective in proportion to
| the clearness and strength of our
thought and the confidence we put into
it. Even happiness itself may become
habitual. One may acquire the habit
! of looking upon the sunny side of
| things, and he may also acquire the
! habit Of looking upon the gloomy side
Thought habit Is character. You are
now, in mind, body and estate, just
what previous thinking has made you
Habit Is force to be harnessed. Ev'
cry repetition of an ideal makes Its
impression deeper. There is more and
more of its quality lodged in the sub
conscious mind. There it lives
Through reiteration the higher ant
purer thought develops and strength
ems its corresponding brain cells. Its
physical functioning ground thereby
becomes more responsive, fertile anC
! easier to use. Through reciprocity
there is a mutual stimulation. Like
capital, habit earns interest.
Many of the noblest qualities of life
never can have richer opportunity
for cultivation than during Illness. Pa
thence, endurance, cheerfuIuess, forget
fulness of self, and thoughtfulness Of
others, when exercised and cultivated
will yield good returns, like O medi
cine" People who are predisrosed Il
nervous disorders should get into the
habit of living simply. They SHOULD
mold their lives according to some
philosophy or religion. They should
develop a fixed routine to free then
from the jars and strains of constan
change. AS an enslaver of body ant
brain, the habit way is most disadvan
tageous to us. If we become addicted
to bad habits, our health becomes i'm
paired and we age early. We mus
overcome bad habits, we must get on
of unwholesome ruts. All evil habits
may be destroyed by the man who real
" desires to master them. We mus