Things I learned this week: Renewal each day is important. I really love that Stephen Covey tries to help us keep balanced and this includes in our renewal in each of the four dimensions of our nature - physical, spiritual, mental and social/emotional. I love that when we do this each one helps us also with one of the Habits. As we try to get into our exercise and nutrition routine then that really helps in our Habit 1 of proactivity. Then as we work on our spiritual nature then we also end up reinforcing and reviewing our principles which helps us with Habit 2 - keeping the end in mind. And then the mental part helps us also with Habit 3 as we try to get more things into quadrant 2 and put first things first. Then the social/emotional component also works on our interdependence with Habits 4,5,& 6. It all works together and reinforces one another and strengthens them as well. So renewal has a bit of synergy to it as well. I also loved the idea of where we get our personal security from which come from the inside out. I am going to include that longer quote because I think it is so important to understand. That we get our personal security by doing the things we say we are going to do and living our principles consistently. It doesn't come by just saying to ourselves that we are of great value, which we are. But we develop a real sense of self-esteem for ourselves when we are consistently living into those values, being honest with ourselves and others and keeping commitments to ourselves are two examples.

“Where does intrinsic security come from? It doesn't come from what other people think of us or how they treat us. It doesn’t come from the scripts they’ve handed us. It doesn’t come from our circumstances or our position.

It comes from within. It comes from accurate paradigms and correct principles deep in our mind and heart. It comes from inside-out congruence, from living a life of integrity in which our daily habits reflect our deepest values.

I believe that a life of integrity is the most fundamental source of personal worth. I do not agree with the popular literature that says that self-esteem is primarily a matter of mind-set, of attitude – that you can psych yourself into peace of mind.

Peace of mind comes when your life is in harmony with true principles and values and in no other way.”

Lots of good stuff to learn this week. Read this chapter on Habit 7 and if you don't already try to add one of those 4 things into your daily private victory.