Habits- Day 7

 “If you want to predict where you’ll end up in life, all you have to do is follow the curve of tiny gains and losses, and see how your daily choices will compound ten or twenty years down the line.” James Clear

According to Clear your success will probably be measured more by what you did on a daily basis, versus some one of a kind transitional moment. 

What is most important right now is the path you are on today. 

That trajectory will make all the difference in the long run. 

Think about a plane veering off course by the slightest amount. If that plane continues at the same trajectory it will not arrive at the correct destination. 

Today I want to give some thought to where I want to be ten years down the road, and what I can do today to get on that path. 

Habits- Day 6

                                 “Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.”

                                                                      James Clear

If you’ve ever saved for retirement in a 401 K you probably know a thing or two about compounding interest. Start saving in your twenties and by the time you are ready to retire in your sixties you could pretty well be a millionaire. 

Habits both good and bad catch up with us over time. 

Clear states, “Unfortunately, the slow pace of transformation also makes it easy to let a bad habit slide. But when we repeat 1% errors, day after day, …our small choices compound into toxic results.”

For me sitting on the couch day after day, rather than getting up and moving more might not show any negative effects today. However, in ten years the compounding of this habit might be the difference between getting to live the life I desire or having to accept the life I have. 

The idea behind atomic habits is that, “A very small shift in direction can lead to a very meaningful change in destination. Similarly, a slight change in your daily habit can guide your life to a very different destination.”

I remember when my husband was recovering from heart surgery we were told to have him start exercising by walking one minute around the house. The next day it was two minutes. By the end of his recovery I was struggling to keep up with him at the mall where we walked for thirty minutes at a brisk pace. 

If I set a goal of moving thirty minutes a day, I know that I probably won’t be consistent based on past attempts. What if I walked 30 minutes a day in one minute increments?

Even better what if I started with five minutes a day in one minute increments. I’m not a mathematical genius, but considering the 1% rule starting much smaller than you normally would consider sounds like the key to better habits. 

I’m going to give it a try starting today. 

Habits- Day 5

                

                               Kaizen- the Japanese word for constant improvement. 

“Kaizen is a business philosophy that focuses on gradually improving productivity by making the work environment more efficient” James Clear.

I think the key word here is gradual. Remarkably according to Clear even a 1% improvement can make a noticeable improvement. If someone asked you to improve by 1% do you think you could do it?

Ironically a 1% decline in behavior or health can make a significant difference over time. 

I honestly think I can improve 1% at a time. Certainly something so small cannot be that overwhelming, and has a greater probability of being achieved.

Habits- Day 4

 

atomic- 1. an extremely small amount of a thing 2. the source of immense power

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits writes:

“…changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound into remarkable results if you’re willing to stick with them for years.”

He also states, “The difference a tiny improvement can make over time is astounding.”

As I contemplate on what actually sounds so easy- small changes I realize that I fall prey to “all or nothing thinking.”

In the past I’ve jumped in head first, no toes in the water for me, and have white knuckled it through to completion. I am capable of doing this for several months when I set my mind to it. 

Sadly, as time goes by I slip back to those original habits- you know the ones I’m trying to get rid of?

In all honesty I’m not sure I’m convinced that taking my time, and making small changes will actually work.

As we continue through the book it will be interesting to see what develops in the formation of new habits. 

Habits- Day 3

For some reason when I think of habits the idea of a bad habit comes to mind. In fact the interplay of good and bad habits can be a constant battle in our lives. 

Now while showering daily would probably be considered a good habit, it really has become effortless. I never question whether I’m going to shower or not. 

On the other hand, healthy eating has never really become a habit of mine as much as I have tried. 

Sitting on the couch (a bad habit) seems to win over walking for thirty minutes( a good habit.)

For me the bad habits, if they bring some level of happiness, are easy to keep. Meanwhile, the good habits ( the ones that require more work and effort, and are not always enjoyable even though I know better) seem more challenging to acquire. 

This past Mother’s Day my daughter gifted me with a copy of Atomic Habits. As I read it I took copious notes, and found many new takes on the traditional approach to habit making. 

Unfortunately, as is my habit, I did an excellent job of gathering information, but a poor job of putting any of it into action. 

Tomorrow, I will begin sharing my notes. My hope is that in taking a second look I’ll be able to put into action the premises of Atomic Habits. 

As also is my habit ( playing with words) I’m hoping for some explosive results. 

“Your habits will determine your future.”

Jack Canfield

Habits- Day 2

I’ve been giving some thought to my habits. I’ve decided to include a list of my daily habits without passing any judgement on whether they are considered good or bad. Tomorrow I’ll address the concept of what is considered a good habit, and what is a bad habit. 

Perhaps you could make a quick list of some of your habits. 

Remember the definition from  from yesterday. A habit is something that is done involuntarily, meaning you do it automatically without giving it much thought. 

List of Habits

Shower in the morning 

Brush my teeth morning and night

Wear my seatbelt in the car

Spend time on my i pad and i phone

Drink primarily water

Snack between meals

Sit more than I walk

I think our lives become a series of habits. Is this good or bad? Tomorrow we’ll dig deeper into that vein of thinking. 

“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.”

Thomas Paine

Habits- Day 1

Habits:

“An acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become involuntary.”

Today begins a thirty-one day series about habits. It has been my custom, dare say I my habit, to participate during the month of October in a 31 Day Writing Challenge. 

If you are interested you might check back in my blog for previous years 31 Day Challenges. I have written about Discovery, Change, Art, Virtues, and Creativity I think you might enjoy reading them. 

Habits have always been a reoccurring interest of mine, and over the years I have read several books and articles about habits. I thought I might share with you some of the information I’ve acquired.

Now, technically, just because you have the information doesn’t guarantee that anything will come from it. I’m notorious for not taking action. I seem to like to accumulate it, and hoard it for some other day, just in case. 

I hope to not just share information or knowledge, but rather to reflect and perhaps take action on how habits play a part in our lives. 

Good, bad or indifferent let’s see where I’m at at the end of October. 

“The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.”

Samuel Johnson