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Beware the Ides of March
Originally, the Ides denoted the
arrival of the full moon, which fell in the middle of the month, on the
Roman lunar calendar. In March, May and July the Ides fell on the 15th.
During the other months of the year, it arrived on the 13th.
After 44 B.C., the Ides of March, took on special significance.
 Julius
Caesar led Rome as consul in 59 BC, then as dictator from 46 BC to 44
BC. Many members of the Senate, the Roman ruling body, disagreed with
the changes Caesar made and his leadership style. In February 44 BC,
Caesar accepted the title dictator for life. While this may have been
the final nail in his coffin, his assassination on the Ides of March, 44
BC came not without warning.
The soothsayer, Spurinna, told him
of danger to come no later than the Ides of March. His wife dreamed of
his murder. On his way to meet his death, someone shoved a note into
Caesar’s hand telling him of the plot. Caesar never read it. He entered
a meeting of the Senate and was almost immediately surrounded and
attacked. He suffered 23 stab wounds, only one of which proved fatal.
Breaking Bad
Habits
 If
you’re like most people, you probably have a bad habit or two in your
life that you’d like to stop. Habits are when we react or do something
automatically that helps reduce stress. Habits are usually a way of
comforting ourselves, but sometimes they can get in the way of our
relationships or cause pain for ourselves and others.
For instance, some people have a
drink to relieve stress, and after the drink they sometimes become less
sensitive to others feelings. Others bite their fingernails when they
are nervous, which does not look professional. For some, smoking gives
them something to do other than focus on how they feel and this can be
dangerous to their health.
So once you are aware you have a bad habit, how do you go about breaking
it? Follow these tips to raise your awareness and have a better chance
at breaking a bad habit:
• Keep a journal.
Record how many times a day you catch yourself in your habit
and how you feel when you resort to automatic behavior. This will help
you see what purpose your habit is serving for you.
• Focus on breaking one habit
at a time. Sometimes people make resolutions to quit all
their bad habits at once. While this is admirable, it can also be
unrealistic for some people. The best approach is usually to knock out
one habit at a time. Pick the habit that you most want to rid yourself
of and then start your program to change only that one.
• Be kind and understanding of
yourself. Try to think of yourself as you would a young
child you were trying to teach something. Be forgiving and patient, but
determined to help yourself succeed. Stay away from negative self-talk.
Don’t degrade yourself if you slip or fail in your attempts. Reward
yourself for at least trying to improve and get back to the business of
breaking your habit. |
