Have you ever thought about the habits in your life? Each of us have a number of habits – some bad, some good - that we do each day. We might have a habit of smoking or eating junk food. We might swear when something goes wrong or blame others for problems in our life.I was thinking about the habits I have in my life and how they have changed since my heart attack. Some of them are simple, like thinking kindly of others, while others are more dramatic. It’s becoming aware of our current habits, committing to change, and sustaining those new practices that brings us to a better place in our lives. Here are some examples of how I transformed some of my bad habits into a more peaceful life.I remember getting together with my friends and spending the entire time complaining about all our problems. My mother is driving me crazy, my husband doesn’t understand me, the toilet overflowed today and made such a mess I had to call the plumber who charged me $200. On and on we complained, until we exhausted one another. It’s the little problems each day that pile on our stress until we just can’t take it anymore. When I used to reach that point, I would start yelling at everyone, then I’d slam the door to my bedroom and cry or sulk for awhile until I managed to get my emotions under control.Now, if I have a problem that I truly don’t know how to fix, I might ask a friend for some advice, but I try to focus on the positive aspects of my life instead of the negative. I try to accept the people in my life as they are instead of wishing they were different or trying to change their behaviors. I try to take a step back from a problem and see if the solution lies within my control. If it is, then I come up with possible solutions. If the problem is beyond my control, I try to remain calm, accept the situation, and deal with it as best I can.Eating habits can be a real challenge. I used to snack a lot, mostly in the evenings. My favorites were chocolate, ice cream, and cookies, but the snacking didn’t stop with sweets. I’d munch on potato chips, corn chips, popcorn, and salty nuts too. I didn’t entirely break the nighttime snacking habit. I genuinely get the munchies before bed. But now I eat healthier food like a small bowl of cheerios or a warm glass of milk. Did I cut out all the fatty and salty foods from my diet? To be honest, I’ll occasionally have a scoop of ice cream or a small piece of chocolate, but I found that I was able to train my taste buds to enjoy less fattening and less salty foods. It wasn’t easy, but it was doable. Now, I don’t miss the junk food.Exercise is another challenge many of us face. It is much easier to come up with an excuse about why we didn’t exercise than to actually get out there and walk, jog, or bike. I used to complain about being too tired to exercise. I never wanted to exercise by myself, so I’d blame my lack of exercise on other people: My husband didn’t have time to walk with me or my friend called to cancel our walk.Now, I do my exercise first thing in the morning. Sometimes my friends or husband join me, but if they don’t, I do it anyway. By exercising first thing in the morning, I can go about my day and not feel guilty about not doing what’s best to keep my heart and body strong.Spirituality. I always equated spirituality with religion, but I’ve come to realize they are two different things. If you follow a particular religion, you have a set of rules to follow. Religion always conjures up for me good vs. evil, right vs. wrong. I gave up practicing any formal religion when I was in my twenties. I grew up Catholic, but when my first marriage failed, the church seemed to fail me too.Spirituality, on the other hand, is an inner knowing. It’s a quality that every human possesses that connects the mind, body, & spirit. For me, spirituality is following my heart in whatever I do. It’s living my life with meaning and purpose, and being grateful for everything in my life.Have you taken a look at your own habits? The secret to changing your lifestyle is making small changes. Don’t look at your life and say, there are too many things I need to change. This will only get your frustrated. Think about just one habit you’d like to change, then take small steps each day to transform a bad habit into a good habit. Write down what you’d like to change. Put the paper some place where you see it every day. It takes time. It’s not easy. But, with an awareness and daily commitment, you can do it.Are you ready to make a change in your life?