In today’s edition, we talk about our environment and how it molds us to pick up the identity that we carry with us every day.

There is no coincidence that Lebron James’ two sons are both elite basketball players destined for the NBA. Lebron is an NBA megastar. Even if you don’t watch basketball you know his name. Did you know that he has two sons by the names of Bronny James (19 years old 6’4) and Bryce James ( 16 years old 6’6)

Both of his sons have been playing basketball since they could walk and are both legit prospects for the NBA even while in high school. Some people may say this is genetics but the truth is that the environment that they grew up in has molded them to be this way. While they both have height and certain genetics from their father they also have genetics from their mother. They have been growing in the sport not purely due to genetics but due to being around their father and his love of the game. Watching him win championships and practice. Copying the way he eats, how he speaks and conducts himself on and off the court. If these two young men were not raised in the same environment as elite sports athletes there is a good chance they may not be the rising stars that they are to this day. The main part that we must understand here is that our environment plays a key role in who we are, the habits we pick up, and how those habits play a role in our success in life and the challenges we face.

Your environment and how you grow is the seed that is planted in your life. Anytime a seed is planted in fertile ground and it is properly watered and cared for it will grow and bloom. These seeds are not always good, the same as our habits. I picked up a habit of eating late and enjoying pastries from my dad. He would come home and he always loved eating muffins and baked goods and sweets. Little Debbie was the 2nd leading lady in my house next to my mom. As that seed was watered over time I too began to eat the same way. As I grew up I ended up with diabetes and almost the same height and weight as my father. That is no coincidence, that is purely from the habits I picked up from my environment. My identity became a man who enjoyed a blueberry muffin and a strawberry shortcake roll, or better yet a whole box of butterscotch Krimpets by Tastykake. It would be delusional to say it was just my genes that caused me to be overweight. It was my habits, environment, and the identity I created for myself that landed me sick and nearly 400lbs.

You can look at life and say I am no longer eating meat, cupcakes, or Coca-Cola. These would be habits that change but yet we are still the same person that ate and consumed these items. A better alternative would be to begin saying things like I do not eat meat or cupcakes or drink Coca-Cola. There is a slight difference in the way that we speak these statements, but mentally the mind begins to shift to change the identity of who we are around these items. Shifting from stating you no longer partake in drinking to saying you don’t drink is different. You begin to change verbally your identity and then the subconscious begins to fall in line with the statement to act as someone who identifies with non-drinking behaviors. When I began to stop drinking I also stopped going to clubs, I stopped taking vacations at spots where most people go to drink. I stopped thinking about spring breaks with the party people because that was no longer my identity. When I did go to clubs or stay out late sober with friends, I felt very awkward and out of place as I felt I did not belong. My identity had changed and I no longer wanted to drink…The habit had changed.

Wellness Challenge of The Week

Take some time this week to identify 3 habits that you currently do and ponder them deeply. They do not need to be bad or good habits. Think of where this habit may have stemmed from. Is it something that was birthed out of a stressful relationship or work? Is it a habit you picked up from parents or siblings? Maybe it was a habit that you got from a character in a popular TV show. The goal this week isn’t to begin to make any changes, it is simply to identify some habits you have picked up from your environment and connect the dots as to the WHY of your current identity so that in the future we can begin to shift from outcome-based habit changes to identity-based habit changes so we can make long term permanent change!