One New Habit in February Challenge

[ejchase]

I know it's not quite February yet, but I might not have time tomorrow to post this.

I'm really a believer that changing daily habits is the way to personal transformation, though I have struggled for years to change my own - mostly, I think, because I try to change too many at once. I've even started a thread like this before, but didn't stick with it. But now I'm trying again.

My plan is to try to develop one new habit at a time. Ideally, my feeling is if I can perform one habit 30 times, I can call it "established," though I recognize it may take me more than 30 consecutive days to do that.

I've read a bit lately that having a "cue" before you perform the desired activity and a "reward" after it help establish a new habit, so I'm experimenting with that too.

The first habit I want to work on is meditating for ten minutes first thing in the morning. My "cue" is my meditation pillow right to the left of my bedroom door so I see it first thing, and my "reward" is my morning coffee. Every time, I manage to succeed in doing this, I'm going to write down the date on an index card in my wallet, so I'll know when I get to 30 times.

Anybody else want to work on a new habit?

Also, anybody have any experiences of success in forming new habits that they'd like to share?

[decemberlov]

I'm glad you posted this! I've decided that I'm going to wake up a 1/2 hr earlier each morning. So far I've done it for a week. I moved my alarm clock all the way across the room so I have to get up to turn it off. My reward is more time in the morning to sip coffee and plan my day before waking the kids for school. I think after 2 weeks or so I'll set my alarm another 15 mins earlier so I have an extra 45 mins :)

[ctg492]

My habit breaking I am working on and will continue to work on, it is hard for me. I am not a nagging type person, but I have one issue that is just an issue to me alone. I am aware I can not change anyone. I am aware I brought it up every single morning and evening to my husband. It has been an issue since back in the day of pagers, to blackberries, to now iPhone and iPad. It is 24/7 that he checks the work messages/text and emails. At 3:30am he awakes to smoke and stand there and reads the work messages. I used to make a snide remark everytime. I am well aware he will not change this habit and has no desire too.
SO to make my own little world happier I have made a huge attempt to not remark. I have succeeded in stopping questioning about his business life, and now I will continue to work on the snide remarks such as "ping went off, Is Barack texting?". Back in the day, I used to say "Bill is paging you", so as you can see I have a well worn pattern to break.

[MamaM]

Give up coffee..completely...have to for health reasons but it's been my vice for 22 years AND walk everyday possible- 2+ miles. Not for speed/time just for relaxation/health/stress reduction.

[pinkytoe]

Rather than a New Year's resolution this year, I decided to try the 21-day rule about breaking or making habits - it worked. I wanted to lessen wine consumption as it had become a habit rather than something to enjoy, ie the weekend is here - time for wine. I had tried the cue and reward previously and it didn't work for that particular habit. Anyway, I photocopied a January calendar page, taped it to the wall and x'd out each day that I went without wine. The first weekend was rough but after the second weekend passed, I could see a difference in how my mind was accepting this new situation. I can't even explain it but the desire to do have a glass of wine just because the weekend was here sort of vanished. Now that my "term" has passed, I will allow myself to imbibe on occasion because I realize now how habits don't have to have the upper hand.

[Blackdog Lin]

I've been thinking of my vices/habits things too - and thinking about using a trip to help jumpstart the process. We're going on an 11-day trip in March, and everything will be out of whack with my daily life. Well, why don't I use this to retrain my brain away from my bad habits? Won't be able to smoke when I want to: well, then, use that to decrease my smoking later when I get home (or even quit?). My wine-drinking: ditto, it's as much a habit as an addiction, I just need to break the patterns.

Interesting to think about.....

[Florence]

I need to exercise on a regular basis. But I truly loathe exercise. I use the excuse that I have a progressive neuromuscular condition and I can't walk. But the fact of the matter is that I can do the exercise bike and I can do the Sit and Be Fit DVDs. So in February I will exercise 10 minutes every morning. I can do this if I will just stop arguing with myself and just do it.

[ejchase]

This was Day 3 of my new habit of meditating first thing. It's hard to get myself to do it, but so far, so good.

[Gardenarian]

I have been writing a book and setting aside 2 hours every day to write. That has been going well (it's absolute drivel, but I'm determined to keep on with it.) The problem I have is with the guilt I feel for taking time for myself. This has been an issue since dd was born 13.5 years ago, so it's high time I dealt with it. Mothering is so very important, it's easy to fall into a trap where you put your own life aside to nurture someone else.

As I work and homeschool, taking time for writing does mean letting some things with dd slide, which I am not used to. (She doesn't mind a bit!)

So I'm doing affirmations every day around this issue. Even if I weren't writing, I think I shouldn't feel bad about wanting to do something, to take some time, just for myself. (I even feel guilty about not walking the dogs as much! Sheesh.)

[ejchase]

Gardenarian: I don't have too much guilt about taking time for myself with my daughter, but when I do, this is what I say to myself: "I want my daughter to grow up believing that it is okay if SHE takes time for himself and devotes some time in her life to just her own needs and not everyone else's. If she is going to learn to do that, I have to set an example."

I also try to make sure that I spend real, quality time with her every day no matter what else is going on, time when I'm fully present with her, playing or reading, or singing (she's two, so these are the things she likes), time when I'm not trying to get anything else done. If you homeschool your daughter, you are surely getting some quality time with her.

Glad to hear you're determined to keep up with the book.

I'm on Day 16 of meditating in the morning. Delaying my coffee until after meditation has totally worked. Should have set that up years ago!

[Gardenarian]

[QUOTE=ejchase;128950] "I want my daughter to grow up believing that it is okay if SHE takes time for himself and devotes some time in her life to just her own needs and not everyone else's. If she is going to learn to do that, I have to set an example."

That's going to be my affirmation for this week! Thank you!

Happy to hear the meditation is going well.