Habits are our unconscious actions, thoughts, or feelings. Because a habit requires no effort, it is a good idea then to develop good habits. And, as we approach the New Year, here are some good habits to cultivate based on the Chinese zodiac animals.
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The Chinese Zodiac
Chinese people believe that a person’s personality and compatibility with others are all closely related to his or her Chinese zodiac sign.
The Chinese zodiac signs are determined by the year in which you were born, whereas the Western zodiac is determined by the month.
Furthermore, the Chinese based their zodiac on animal characteristics and their relationship to a person’s personality, fortune, and birth year. The western zodiac, on the other hand, is based on astronomy and is named after Greek mythology.
Good habits to develop
Habits are our unconscious thoughts, feelings, and actions. In addition, our habits account for 40% of our daily actions, and as a result, habits have a way of defining who we are.
Now to relate the Chinese zodiac to habits.
Given that the Chinese zodiac is associated with personality and that habits can also define our character. It would be a good idea to pick the positive characteristics of the animal signs and make them a habit.
This way, you can truly say that you’re living up to expectations, right? 😀
So, here are the good habits you can develop from the Chinese zodiac.
Rat
The first animal sign is the rat. People born in the years 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 share the animal sign of the rat. The positive traits of the rat sign include being quick-witted, resourceful, kind, adaptable, and frugal.
And the habit that you can develop based on these rat characteristics is that of resourcefulness.
Resourcefulness
Of course, being resourceful is a great habit to develop as it allows you to look for alternative solutions. Moreover, it is advantageous to have a resourceful trait because it allows you to look into yourself. And your abilities in order to thrive.
It is quite frankly, the attitude of survivors.
How to develop resourcefulness
So, how to develop a resourceful habit? Here are some practical ways to try.
Keep an open mind
Understand that solutions or ideas do not follow a straight line. So keep an open mind to solutions from seemingly unrelated sources.
Keep your mind open to detect opportunities that people, events, or circumstances may present.
Be proactive
Have the initiative to find solutions. Certainly, don’t wait for solutions to come to you.
Take advantage of all the resources that are available online. Read books or listen to audiobooks. Attend a course. Network and seek out experts who can help.
Have confidence
Have faith in yourself and your abilities. Recognize that you have what it takes to find a solution or an opportunity that will catapult you to new heights.
Get creative
As in our first point, there are various ways to get from point A to point B. It’s not always a straight line.
So, if the path to your goal is obstructed by difficulties, take a different route. Or devise a plan to get through the impediment.
Be persistent
If one move didn’t work, try another. Don’t give up. Learn from Thomas Edison, who failed 10,000 times before perfecting the light bulb.
Pick yourself up and keep going no matter how many times you fail. Also, learning from your mistakes is a great way to grow and improve.
Ox
The second animal sign is the ox. The birth years of the Ox are 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, and 2021. People born in the year of the Ox are hardworking, gentle, dependable, strong, and patient.
And the habit of dependability is one that you can cultivate based on these Ox characteristics.
Dependability
Without a doubt, dependability is an excellent habit to develop. When you are dependable, you say what mean and follow through with your promises. Also, you take on challenges, accept responsibilities, and own up to your mistakes.
According to author Mike Royer, you get your first job based on your abilities. The rest, however, will be determined by your dependability.
How to develop dependability
Admittedly, it would take time, dedication, and consistency to develop the habit of dependability. But, here are some ways you can do to start.
- Be on time and well-prepared.
- Respond to inquiries or requests as soon as possible.
- Mistakes cannot be avoided. However, make sure to fix them quickly.
- Know your commitments and your deadline.
- Be patient and kind to yourself. Recognize that self-improvement takes time.
Tiger
The birth years of the tiger are 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, and 2022. People born in the year of the tiger have positive characteristics such as confidence, quick wit, bravery, versatility, kindness, magneticity, and idealism.
And from these qualities, the habit you can develop from the positive traits of a tiger is that of confidence.
Confidence
Confidence is your trust and belief in your abilities.
Fortunately, confidence is a soft skill that can be learned and practiced in order to live a happy and fulfilled life. And this is because having a strong sense of self-worth provides you with the following benefits:
- Less fear and anxiety.
- Increased resilience.
- Better health.
- Improved relationships.
- Better decision-making
How to develop confidence
Here are a few action steps to take to develop confidence:
Start within
Confidence starts from within. So believe in yourself. Love yourself.
Positive self-talk
Words have power and the words you tell yourself affect you. So make sure to say positive things to yourself. And whenever a negative thought enters your mind, stop it or shift it to a positive thought.
Attitude of gratitude
When you are grateful for all that you have, you’ll know that you are not lacking. With an attitude of gratitude, your fears and worries will disappear. Allowing you to be more positive and confident.
Improve your posture
A person’s gait and the way they carry themselves can reveal whether they are self-confident or not.
So, take the time to work on your posture. Practice. Take deep breaths, exhale, and lift your chin. Walking should be done at a steady pace with long strides that are appropriate for your body. Walk with a goal in mind.
Remind yourself of your achievements
Keep in mind that you’re not a loser. That you have what it takes to succeed. And that since you’ve accomplished something in the past, you’ll be able to accomplish it again today and in the future.
Rabbit
Rabbits, the third sign, were born in the years 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, and 2023. If you were born in the year of the rabbit, you are kind, sensitive, artistic, romantic, timid, refined, quiet, and responsible.
And if you want to develop a habit out of the rabbit qualities, you can never go wrong with kindness.
Kindness
Kindness is an act of generosity, consideration, or concern for others that is not motivated by praise or reward. It is one of the best habits you can develop because it benefits both the recipient and you as the giver.
Among the numerous advantages of being kind are the following:
- Improves your overall wellbeing
- Reduces your stress levels
- Boosts your self-esteem
- Improves your social connection
- Attracts more kindness
How to develop kindness
To cultivate the habit of kindness, here are things that you can do:
Be sincere
Sincerity is an essential value that helps foster trust. Also, because being sincere is free of affectations, pretense, or deception. Surely, you will not suffer from the effect that these negative feelings will provide.
Start small
An act of kindness, no matter how small, can have a ripple effect. So don’t hesitate to show kindness. A smile, a compliment, or sharing extra food certainly helps to brighten someone else’s day.
Daily act of kindness
Repetition is the key to developing a habit. So consciously make an effort to do at least one act of kindness each day.
Simple acts such as preparing breakfast for your family. Acknowledging the guard’s greetings as you enter an establishment. Recognizing an officemate’s input. Or praising your staff for their efforts. All of these count on the kindness radar.
And they don’t cost you a dime.
Be kind to yourself
You should also be kind to yourself. Stop your negative self-talk. Attempt to find the learning in negative experiences and then let go of the memories.
Being kind to yourself allows you to be kind as well to others.
Dragon
The dragon’s year is said to be the most auspicious. And the dragon years are 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, and 2024.
You are outspoken, energetic, generous, intelligent, confident, and enthusiastic if you were born under the sign of the dragon.
And from these dragon characteristics, you can cultivate the habit of generosity.
Generosity
Generosity is a quality that should be developed into a habit. Because it is beneficial not only to the recipient but also to the giver.
Being generous with your time, talent, or resources without expecting anything in return improves your overall health.
In addition, you become more fulfilled, happy, and peaceful, not to mention more productive at home and at work.
How to develop generosity
Here are some practical ways you can develop generosity as a habit.
- Be kind. Always. It doesn’t take much to be nice. A smile, genuine appreciation, or running an errand for an elderly person all go a long way.
- Give a compliment to someone. It feels good to be complimented. So send out some positive vibes.
- Listen to others and avoid making it about yourself. Feel what they’re going through instead.
- Recognize and appreciate the abilities of others.
- Donate to your favorite charity or organization.
- Train or coach another person.
- Support a small business.
- Volunteer.
Snake
Snake years are 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, and 2025. And the positive traits of people born in the year of the snake are intelligent, curious, alluring, wise, calculating, and enigmatic.
From these snake qualities, you can choose to develop the habit of curiosity.
Curiosity
Undoubtedly, curiosity is a fantastic habit to cultivate because it allows you to thrive in unfamiliar situations. It assists you in discovering new ideas, possibilities, and opportunities. That will lead to a more fulfilling and productive life.
How to develop curiosity
So, here are some ways you can develop your curiosity.
Have an open mind
If you want to develop a curiosity mindset, you must be willing to learn, adopt a new perspective, or upgrade to new learning.
When you keep your mind open to possibilities, you will be able to broaden your horizons more effectively.
Keep the questions coming
A sure way of knowing more about something is to ask questions. It’s certainly an excellent way of expanding your knowledge about something.
Asking about how something works, the process behind a successful outcome. Or how one thing relates to another can be eye-opening and lead you to new ideas, innovations, or opportunities.
Every experience is a chance for learning
Curious people always find an interesting point in a statement, activity, or idea provided. There is no such thing as a boring experience.
Keep reading
A curious mind reads. Especially on subjects that are unfamiliar.
Find time to read up on and explore other fields that you are unfamiliar with. It will help to strengthen your mental muscles and keep your mind sharp. You never know, you might come away with some interesting ideas to apply to your work or personal life.
Listen
Take the time to listen in order to fully comprehend what others have to say. Again, ask questions to find out if there are any feelings or emotions associated with what is being said.
Keep the conversation focused on the other person, not on yourself. Find out more about their experiences, perspectives, or ideas. What you discover may also assist you or provide you with an opportunity.
There are things you don’t know
Know that there are things you don’t know. They are hidden beneath the surface of everyday life. And it takes an inquisitive mind to peer beneath the surface and discover these new worlds and possibilities. It’s a start to a great learning experience.
Avoid multitasking
Multitasking lowers efficiency and performance. Because your mind can only concentrate on one thing at a time.
When you attempt to do two things at once, your brain becomes divided. And you will be unable to fully absorb new information.
Focusing on one thing at a time is the best way to learn and satiate curiosity.
Empathize
Take time to know and understand what others are going through. So that you can respond appropriately to the situation.
Horse
The horse years are 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, and 2026. If you were born in the year of the horse, your positive qualities are amusing, enthusiastic, independent, persuasive. Also, as a horse, you are naturally active, animated, and energetic.
So based on these traits, the habit that a horse inspires to develop is persuasion.
Persuasion
Why persuasion, you might ask? Because persuasion allows you to get your point across and be successful. Persuasion is not about being ‘salesy’, annoying, or coercive. It is about being able to convince others to see or do things your way.
The habit of persuasion is a powerful habit to develop if you want to succeed in business and in life.
How to develop persuasion
Leaders are skilled at persuasion, whether innate or learned. And you, too, can hone your persuasion skills. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Keep it simple
People do not need as much time to process and reject an idea when it is presented in its simplest form. The more easily something is understood, the more likely it is that they will agree with you.
Present a solution or plan visually
Create colorful descriptions or images to go along with the solution or plan you’re presenting. A picture that your audience can identify with. And that conjures up vivid imagery in their minds can help you get a positive start.
Gain your audience’s trust
Before you can persuade someone or an audience, you must first establish your credibility.
This can be accomplished by dressing the part, being confident, and engaging. You should also make an effort to connect with your audience. And make certain that everything is centered on what is best for them.
Anchor on familiarity
When it comes to persuasion, familiarity does not breed contempt. In fact, it IS helpful to identify or relate a new idea or concept to something familiar to your audience when presenting it.
This sense of familiarity will not activate your audience’s innate threat response. Making them less likely to reject or resist what you are presenting.
Use logic or feelings
The use of logic or feelings will depend on your audience. Some people will respond more positively to the use of feelings. While others will respond more positively to the use of logic.
When using feelings, it is preferable to use positive emotions such as joy, happiness. Or a sense of belonging to gain your audience’s approval.
Goat
The goats years are 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, and 2027. People born in the year of the goat have easygoing, empathetic, creative, cheerful, calm, and gentle characteristics.
So from these positive goat traits, the habit you can develop is empathy.
Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. It enables us to relate and, as a result, respond appropriately to a situation.
Definitely, the practice of empathy has numerous advantages. To name a few:
- Improves your understanding and acceptance of others.
- Helps with your persuasion skills.
- Boosts your self-esteem.
- Improves social connection.
- And, improves your network connection.
How to develop empathy
After reading the benefits of empathy, here are ways for you to develop the habit.
- Interact with other people. Be mindful of how words are delivered, along with the body language.
- Listen more. Keep the conversation going by allowing the other person to express themselves.
- Stay curious.
- Make yourself relate to another person’s feelings or experiences.
- Do something, no matter how small, to make a difference in someone else.
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
– Leo Buscaglia
Monkey
The monkey years are 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, and 2028. People born in the year of the monkey have entertaining, intelligent, optimistic, sociable, sharp, and curious characteristics.
So from these positive monkey traits, the habit you can develop is optimism.
Optimism
Optimism is a state of mind that firmly believes that the result of an action or an event is positive and favorable. The belief, that whatever trials you are facing will pass and that you will triumph because of your abilities.
Because of this mindset, optimistic people are happier overall.
Furthermore, researchers claim that developing the habit of optimism has numerous benefits. Among these advantages are:
- Better overall health
- Reduced stress
- Increased longevity
- Improved relationships
- Increased self-esteem
- Enhanced problem-solving abilities
- Becoming more persistent
How to develop optimism
Fortunately, optimism can be learned. But, it will not be easy. So it is best to keep repeating the process.
As in any habit formation, repetition is the key factor in making a habit stick. Eventually, you will find it easier to practice optimism.
Here are some ways that will help you develop an optimistic mindset as a habit.
Give yourself credit
Give yourself credit for the positive events in your life. Reflect on how you contributed, both directly and indirectly, to the achievement and success of a goal using all of your abilities.
Keep a journal
Make a list of all the good things that have happened to you. Describe how these events occurred and what happened as a result. Write down your contribution to its success, just as you did in the previous point.
This journal will serve as a record of all your accomplishments. As well as an inspiration to keep going in the face of challenges or setbacks in your life.
Attitude of gratitude
When you are grateful for all that you have, you’ll know that you are not lacking. With an attitude of gratitude, you will attract more positivity in your life including optimism.
Visualize
Use the power of visualization. Picture the positive outcome of a goal you want to achieve. Expect good things to happen.
Stop, challenge, and replace the negative
Stop negative thoughts in their tracks whenever they enter your mind. Take a moment to reflect on the thought and consider why it is implausible. Then, change your focus to a positive thought.
For example, you were called to your immediate superior’s office. Your initial thought is that you’re going to be fired. Stop right there and question why you’d be fired in the first place. You’re good at what you do, and you’re a valuable asset to the company.
Then consider a more practical reason for your summons. Your boss may want you to lead a critical project or simply discuss the specifics of a work proposal you submitted.
This thought process for optimism can also be applied in your daily life.
Rooster
Rooster, the tenth sign, were those born in 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, and 2029. People born in the year of the rooster have adventurous, charitable, funny, loyal, observant, hardworking, courageous characteristics.
And from these positive rooster traits, the habit you can develop is being courageous.
Courage
The mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty, according to the dictionary. This description is consistent with Napoleon Bonaparte’s definition of courage:
“Courage isn’t having the strength to go on – it is going on when you don’t have strength.”
― Napoleon Bonaparte
It is therefore important to develop the habit of courage in our lives. As it enables us to take the first steps despite fear and trepidation.
How to develop courage
Again it is fortunate that researchers believe that courage is a skill. Because it is a skill, it can then be learned. It can also be applied repeatedly, through small actions, until it becomes a habit.
So, here are steps you can take to develop the habit of courage.
Identify your fear triggers
According to Kate Swoboda, author of the courage habit, fear manifests itself in our lives primarily through perfectionism, people-pleasing, self-sabotage. And pessimism in the form of behavioral patterns.
Fear is detrimental to health
Remind yourself that being paralyzed by fear can be detrimental to your overall health. So take a deep breath and relax. Calm down and figure out the smallest step you can take to get moving.
Take chances
Recognize that fear is a natural part of being human. So take it in stride and get started on that project, business, or venture you’ve been wanting to start.
Use fear to your advantage
You can use your fear to your advantage if you take it in stride. Allow a healthy dose of fear to motivate you and compel you to critically examine the quality of your output. Or consider the consequences of an action you are about to take.
Reframe your story
Reframe your narrative. Another point made by Kate Swoboda is that how you tell a story influences how you see yourself and the world. Whether you are a victim or a survivor. To counteract this, you must reframe your story.
There are, thankfully, ways to retell a limiting story. One approach is to question these negative perceptions of our abilities.
Another option is to look at a difficult situation through the eyes of an outsider. These things help us deal with the stress that fear and worry can cause.
Dog
The eleventh animal sign in the Chinese zodiac is the dog. Dogs are born in the years 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, and 2030. And they have positive characteristics such as being helpful, honest, trustworthy, unselfish, lovely, and prudent.
Good decision-making, which can be associated with being prudent, can be developed from the positive qualities of the dog sign.
Decision making
The process of identifying options, gathering information for each option, and then selecting the most viable option is known as decision-making.
And we are constantly presented with options to choose from on a daily basis. From the most insignificant to the most important tasks, we must make a choice.
As a result, it is also critical to cultivate the habit of making sound decisions. Particularly at work.
How to develop good decision-making
Definitely, the choices you make affect your overall health, relationship, safety, and your priorities. As such, it is best to keep in mind the following when you need to make a tough decision.
Know your most productive time
Because mental energy is a finite resource, it is important to recognize when your energy is at its highest. Then, schedule your critical decision-making tasks in that time frame.
This way, your mind is operating at peak efficiency. And you are more likely to make sound decisions.
Remove or limit distractions
Without a doubt, the technology we have today has provided us with enormous benefits and convenience. However, it has also created a barrage of information that we have to process. As a result, our mental energy gets depleted even further.
So, to conserve energy, limit your screen time on social media, streaming services, news, and even emails. You can also turn off your phone when you are working on important tasks.
Stop multitasking
Doing several tasks at the same time is counterproductive. It certainly divides your focus and also the effectiveness of your decision-making.
So when faced with an all-important task that needs a decision, set aside a time block. And concentrate solely on the task at hand.
Pay attention to your emotions
Extreme emotions, such as anger or happiness, have been shown in studies to impair decision-making. Therefore, awareness of your emotional state is essential when faced with a difficult or important decision.
When experiencing uneven emotions, take time to clear your mind. Take a break. Go out for a short walk. Return to your task when you are more focused and level-headed.
Pig
The last sign in the Chinese zodiac is the pig. The years of the pig are 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, and 2031. And people born in the year of the pig are caring, generous, smart, outgoing, compassionate, and diligent.
From these positive qualities of the pig, the habit you can develop is compassion.
Compassion
Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.
– Dalai Lama
Consider the words of a simple Buddhist monk and make compassion a habit.
Besides, compassion is beneficial to your overall health, both physically and mentally. Above all, it is a small way for you to make a difference in a world full of suffering.
How to develop compassion
So, to develop the habit of compassion, here are ways you can consider doing:
- Start being compassionate with yourself. Love yourself. Be kind to yourself.
- Be mindful of others. Ask how they are, what they’re going through. Know that it’s not always about you.
- Empathize. In relation to the above point, it’s always good practice to feel with and understand others.
- Listen. With intention, without judgment.
- Be generous. If not with material things, then with your time. Your attention, or your services.
- Be forgiving. With yourself and others.
- Be thankful for what you have. Always.
- Smile. Often. Even without cause.
Summary
In summary, the Chinese zodiac is a series of 12 animals each representing a different year. Accordingly, your personality is associated with the animal sign from which you were born.
On the other hand, habits are the unconscious thoughts, feelings, and actions that we do on a daily basis. Because of this, habits also have a way of defining our personality.
Since a habit is effortless, it is prudent to develop good habits. And, if we must look to the Chinese zodiac for habits to develop, here are some good ones to consider:
- Rat- resourcefulness
- Ox- dependability
- Tiger- confidence
- Rabbit- kindness
- Dragon- generosity
- Snake- curiosity
- Horse- persuasion
- Goat- empathy
- Monkey- optimism
- Rooster- courage
- Dog- decision-making
- Pig- compassion
Please share your thoughts about this article in the comments below. You can also read 12 Good Habits From The Zodiac, Building Good Habits For Your To Be, and the habits you can develop from Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.
Outside reference:
All the Chinese Zodiac Signs and Their Meanings, Explained
Chinese Zodiac
6 Characteristics of Resourceful People That Bring Them Success
11 Tips For Being Confident From Within
7 Effective Ways To Boost Your Courage
6 Reasons We Make Bad Decisions, and What to Do About Them
