Build a new habit with me
Once upon a time, and what feels like a long, long time ago (though it was only about 2-1/2 years), I did a my own guided visualization as I was developing my “Dream It, Do It” workshops. If you’ve taken one of my workshops, you’ve already heard some version of this story, but here it is:
My vision: During my own time traveling meditation to my future, I discovered that I had achieved a wealthy, abundant life. I was spending time with my kids and one of their partners, there was a grandchild toddling to me, and we were all on a patio or balcony somewhere on a vacation together. Over time, as I revisited that vision, I saw a second grandchild and my other daughter also had a partner.
My take away: I returned to the present with the inner knowing that what got me there and made it all possible was a set of spiritual practices: journaling, meditation, using daily affirmations, visualizing my goals and dreams being made real, gratitude practice, time in nature, daily movement (yoga, walking, dance breaks), and time spent daily on inspiring, uplifting, and improving myself.
I quickly realized that I didn’t have any of those as regular spiritual practices.
I set about getting better at all of them, all at once, because of course I did.
Overachievers, unite!
That was about two years ago, now, and I am still sporadic at best on all of these practices.
There is not a single one of these that has stuck, despite various efforts on my part. Usually, it’s to try to remember to do all or most of them. It has included habit trackers, reminders on my phone, and more, yet nothing has really stuck.
Today, I realized that while future me has this stuff down and is good at maintaining these practices, current me has never made an actual decision to become the person who does these things.
Instead, I think things like “I should probably start” or “maybe I ought to.”
“When you are working from a place of ‘should’ and ‘ought’, you are working with ethical or moral ideas. ”
One of the things I realized today is that when you are working from a place of “should” and “ought”, you are working with ethical or moral ideas. Someone (maybe you, maybe your mother, maybe the patriarchy) told you to do something because they think it’s a good idea for whatever reason. It’s a place of judgment, not action.
Those sorts of ethical/moral obligations or ideas can have weight, and they can certainly cause you to feel guilty. But in and of themselves, they don’t cause you to take action. Instead, they keep you stuck by making you feel bad if/when you don’t take action.
Instead of thinking about what I should do, I've made a decision to act.
Today, I made a decision to take action.
I have decided to embody one of those actions I listed above. I am taking action to become the future me one small action step at a time. What does that look like? It looks like a declaration that is backed with action.
As of today, I’m a person who journals every day.
Not only did I declare it, but I wrote that declaration down.
Not only did I write it down, but I shared it with you. And, I suppose, with the world at large. Because we all know that publicly outing ourselves helps to create accountability.
Most importantly, I actually wrote in my journal today, before I did much of anything else.
For the next six weeks (until August 21st), I’m going to do the thing. And you are invited to join me as we form a new habit together.
Since I’m just starting this here habit on a random Tuesday, and only decided to do it and make it into a “thing” today, it’s already started. So jump on in!
How to participate:
Sign up for this here event if you want daily emails from me.
Pick one new habit you are deciding to commit to.
Do it every day.
Report on it in the Actually, I Can Facebook group.
Come to one or more of the free coaching sessions I plan to run on this (info to follow).
Now, maybe you also want to journal every day, too.
Or maybe your action is that you take 5,000 steps a day, or drink 8 glasses of water, or put your phone on mute when working. Maybe you want to meditate every day, or spend 10 minutes reading, or eat your meals without looking at a screen.
Whatever it is, I invited you to sign up at the landing page to let me know you’re in.
