Habits define our personalities. And the Chinese zodiac says that our personalities reflect the traits of the animal sign we were born in. So why not combine these two and develop good habits based on the positive characteristics of the Chinese zodiac?
Accordingly, the Horse has an indomitable spirit and other strong defining characteristics in the Chinese zodiac. Therefore, it is advisable to adopt the positive characteristics of the Horse sign and make them a habit.
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What are habits
Habits are the thoughts and actions you perform on a daily basis without much thought. And experts say habits account for 40% of your daily actions.
With this fact, it is important to note that habits play an essential role in your life. Because your habits can make or break you.
The Horse personality
The Chinese zodiac is based on animals chosen for their unique traits. And their significance in terms of a person’s personality, fortune, and birth year.
The seventh sign of the Chinese zodiac, the horse, has an indomitable spirit and is always moving toward a goal. The birth years of the Horse are 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, and 2026.
Horse people are lively, active, and energetic, amusing (friendly), enthusiastic, self-sufficient, and persuasive.
Furthermore, the Horse sign is astute, quick-witted, and determined, as well as having a positive attitude and practicing self-care.
Good habits to develop
The following are some good habits you can develop based on these distinctive Horse characteristics:
Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm is the sensation of being pleasantly surprised, excited or delighted by something. There is an eagerness to be a part of an event, activity, group, project. Or other activity that you are particularly interested in or enjoy.
Enthusiasm is definitely an important quality to have in your career and in life. It allows you to go on with your work, job, or business despite experiencing failure.
Furthermore, enthusiasm provides the spark, the energy to seek out new ideas, better alternatives. Or opportunities that will help you succeed in life.
Other advantages of being enthusiastic include increased productivity, confidence, and improved professional and personal relationships.
How to develop enthusiasm
It’s a good thing that enthusiasm is a skill. Because, as a skill, it can then be developed.
Admittedly, it will not be easy, as with any good habit you wish to develop. But, with practice and consistency, you will eventually be able to embody enthusiasm.
Here are some small steps you can take to cultivate the habit of enthusiasm:
Choose to be positive
Okay, maybe this isn’t such a small step after all. However, it is critical that you choose positive thinking in all situations.
Take a short break to help you stay positive when things appear to be going downhill. Use this time to listen to music, go for a walk, or meditate and focus on your breathing.
This is to clear your mind and make you feel good. When you are in a good mood, you are more likely to see the good in a situation and come up with new ideas or solutions to problems.
Shift your emotions
Although it may be difficult, shifting your emotions to more positive feelings will help you become more enthusiastic. Train your mind to find a reason to be happy even if it is uncomfortable.
Have a collection of inspiring quotes, funny videos, beautiful scenery, positive images, or feel-good activities to turn to when you’re feeling down.
Record your wins
It doesn’t hurt to keep a record of your wins. These wins, no matter how small, will make you feel valued and acknowledged. It gives you a renewed sense of optimism and makes you eager to get to work.
Keeping a record of your wins also serves as a marker on your path to achieving your goals. In addition, it keeps you on track and inspired to begin and complete a new goal.
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.
Certainly, 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. Hence, 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.
Determination
Determination is the trait in which you are decided to do something. And are willing to go to any length to achieve it.
Having determination is essential for achieving goals because it allows you to overcome obstacles. It provides you with the strength and tenacity to hang on and keep moving. It also allows you to be more creative in your actions.
How to develop determination
Here are some strategies you can use to develop determination as a habit.
Examine your situation and your intentions
Your determination may be influenced by your situation as well as your conscious desire to achieve something. Therefore, it is critical that you identify the source of your determination. And keep it within you as fuel in your quest to achieve your goal.
Commit
Define your goals, create a plan, and list the steps you need to take. Attend to them on a daily basis. All of this is part of your commitment to success.
It may become difficult, tedious, or simply boring at times, but you must resolve to persevere.
Do not depend on luck
Your success depends upon your ability to develop and improve the necessary skills, not on chance. So practice every day. Do the small things each day that allow you to become a step closer to your goals.
Eliminate distractions
Do not allow for distraction to hinder your progress. There will surely be a lot of activities that will call your attention away from important tasks.
A chat with a coworker can take several minutes of your time. Social media browsing can easily consume several hours. Attending meetings without an agenda or reading emails will also divert your attention away from the tasks at hand.
If these distractions cannot be avoided entirely, devise a strategy for limiting the amount of time spent on them.
Take stock
Take some time to reflect and assess whether you are on track to meet your objectives. Alternatively, whether the steps or actions are bringing you closer to your goals.
Otherwise, look for another way to achieve your goals.
Eyes on the prize
Despite setbacks, keep your eyes on the prize. Remember the reasons what your goals mean to you.
Indeed, the road to success is fraught with setbacks and distractions. But, no matter how dire the situation appears to be, know that obtaining the prize will be worthwhile.
Positive attitude
A positive attitude, also known as positive thinking, is a state of calm. And the belief that things or situations will turn out fine.
Indeed, having a positive attitude makes dealing with the day-to-day affairs of life easier. It boosts your optimism and makes it easier to avoid worries and negative thoughts.
Undoubtedly, adopting this mindset will result in positive changes in your life. You become happier, more optimistic, and more successful.
Consequently, to develop a positive attitude, you need to:
- Stop negative self-talk. To paraphrase Earl Nightingale, you can control your life by the way you control your thoughts.
- Use positive words. Because words have power. And using positive words will also shift your mind towards a positive mindset.
- Be thankful for what you have. For sure, you have more to be thankful for. Appreciate having them in your life.
- Stay away from negative and toxic people. They will only drag you down with them.
- Read books that will uplift you. The bible is always a good place to start.
- Focus your thoughts on things that will motivate you to reach your goal.
- Have faith. In yourself and your abilities to reach your goal. In other people who share your dreams. And that, generally, everything will turn out fine.
Of course, these actions might be difficult at first. But with persistence, you will be able to change to a more positive attitude and a better life.
Self-care
Certainly, self-care is not vanity. It is about taking care of yourself so that you can perform at your best and face life’s challenges with determination, focus, and clarity.
Other benefits of self-care include:
- improvement of your immune system
- better physical health
- maintain your mental health
- better sleep, and
- better relationships, among others
Here are some ways to practice self-care in order to reap the benefits of said habit.
- Engage in healthy eating. Eat whole foods. Avoid processed and sugary foods.
- Drink lots of water. Keep your body hydrated
- Get enough sleep. Don’t treat lack of sleep as a sign of productivity.
- Go out for a walk. Do some yoga stretches. Or a few minutes of cardio exercises.
- Engage your senses as a Taurean would. Indulge in a long bath, light a scented candle, listen to calming music, or drink a cup of hot chocolate.
- Schedule a good massage. This would surely work wonders.
- Schedule get-togethers. Spending time with friends and family is always good for your mental health.
- Nourish your skin. A generous slathering of rich cream will leave your skin smelling divine and feeling oh-so-smooth.
- Practice meditation. Meditation has been shown to improve focus and concentration, increase self-awareness and self-esteem, reduce stress and anxiety. And foster kindness.
- Discover something new. Yes, it is a form of self-care. Feed your mind with new information to build mental muscle. As well as to keep it from deteriorating.
You can read a book or listen to an audiobook. Listen to podcasts. Or, sign up for an interesting online class.
As a side note, Skillshare is a great place to start. They’re also offering a one-month free trial of Skillshare premium, you might want to check it out.
All of these examples are excellent ways to keep your mind active.
Summary
According to the Chinese zodiac, your animal sign can have an impact on your personality. And, as the New Year approaches, here are some good habits to develop from the Horse sign of the Chinese zodiac.
- Enthusiasm
- Persuasion
- Determination
- Positive attitude, and
- Self-care.
Please share your thoughts about this article in the comments below. You can also read 12 Good Habits From The Animal Signs (Chinese Zodiac), 12 Good Habits From The Zodiac, and Building Good Habits For Your To Be.
Additionally, you may like the habits you can develop from the other animal signs of the Chinese zodiac: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
Outside references:
CHINESE ZODIAC- HORSE
Enthusiasm is a Skill
Master the Art of Influence — Persuasion as a Skill and Habit
How To Be Determined In 10 Ways
7 Basic Principles To Instantly Develop A Positive Thinking Habit