100* little changes

[Chicken lady]

Or maybe not quite 100.

I have a history of setting big impressive goals, or committing chunks of time and then wearing out or getting discouraged before I "finish". Eg, do x for y minutes every day, x number of items every day, do abc before x.... But the "change a habit" thing got me thinking about small things that add up, so I am trying to pick a little thing I can change each day that will add up to a big thing. If I do this every day I will have almost 100 by the end of the year. Maybe I will throw in an extra every week or so to get the 100.

So far I have:
Do something relating to pottery every day (career/self improvement)
Take my vitamins every day (health)
brush my teeth after breakfast even if I'm not leaving the house (health)
use moisturizer with sunblock every day (health)
Clean the dish cloth out of the kitchen sink before bed (household)
Use lotion on my feet daily (my heels crack in the winter) (health)
drink a glass of water before/with dinner (health)

I didn't pick one for today yet. I'm noticing that just doing this is making me look at all the things I do each day without thinking about them and ask myself if they are contributing to my life or dragging me down.

Anybody else want to try a bunch of little changes and see if they add up?

[Ultralight]

Or maybe not quite 100.

I have a history of setting big impressive goals, or committing chunks of time and then wearing out or getting discouraged before I "finish". Eg, do x for y minutes every day, x number of items every day, do abc before x.... But the "change a habit" thing got me thinking about small things that add up, so I am trying to pick a little thing I can change each day that will add up to a big thing. If I do this every day I will have almost 100 by the end of the year. Maybe I will throw in an extra every week or so to get the 100.

So far I have:
Do something relating to pottery every day (career/self improvement)
Take my vitamins every day (health)
brush my teeth after breakfast even if I'm not leaving the house (health)
use moisturizer with sunblock every day (health)
Clean the dish cloth out of the kitchen sink before bed (household)
Use lotion on my feet daily (my heels crack in the winter) (health)
drink a glass of water before/with dinner (health)

I didn't pick one for today yet. I'm noticing that just doing this is making me look at all the things I do each day without thinking about them and ask myself if they are contributing to my life or dragging me down.

Anybody else want to try a bunch of little changes and see if they add up?

Very cool! I am doing something along these lines to lose the 25 lbs. and get rid of my sleep apnea.

The idea is for me to build good eating habits to replace bad habits.
I am going to adopt one of these habits each month for the next several months.
-Do not go to buffets!
-Drink only water
-Eat only fresh fruit for breakfast
-Quit deep fried foods
-Eat at least one raw veggie a day
-Eat only whole grains

I might add a couple more over time, in fact that is likely. But for now this is my list. I am going month by month and intend to compound these good habits.

I already did the no buffet habit and I am in the midst of drinking only water (as opposed to gigantic fruity smoothies, whole milk, and juice).

[kally]

hey this is a cool idea.

[kally]

Hey ultralite - might I suggest you incorporate a couple of dinners a week without meat. That should help.

[Ultralight]

These little challenges and goals remind me of Dave Ramsey's debt snowball. You pay off a little debt and you feel like you got a win. So you pay off the next smallest debt and feel like you got a win again.

So it builds your confidence.

A series of little wins compounds to a big win in the long run.

[Chicken lady]

Yup. You could definitely focus your changes on money or time and see it literally add up.

for today I picked - put things away upstairs or in the basement right away instead of piling them near the stairs to carry when I'm going there anyway. (household - no piles, and health - more stairs.)

[Chicken lady]

I'm going to keep reporting on this and see if anybody jumps in.

I have added "milk" - I was not managing the milk supply well and had started forgetting the jars when I put them into the freezer to chill - breakage, and just grabbing any jar to use, which meant the older milk got pushed to the back and spoiled. So I put a reminder on my key chain and am trying to focus on spending a few minutes puting all the jars where they should be every morning, and also using the milk instead of letting it spoil. - household? Not being wasteful.

I also added clean kitchen table off completely and wipe down every day. Household.

[Gardenarian]

Hi Chicken Lady,

You're a woman after my own heart! I'm constantly making self-improvement lists, and I too often set the bar way too high. I am also a list person.
I love your idea of doing a lot of little things - do you have a chart or something to keep track of your new habits?

I'm currently trying to stick to an anti-inflammatory diet, which is a whole bunch of lists in itself. I'm trying to give up the most inflammatory foods first - it's really hard - sugar and dairy!!

[Chicken lady]

I have apiece of paper with a list and hatch marks.

Today I added laundry (check if I need to start any, don't leave it in the washer overnight unless I start it at bedtime, and put it away when it's done instead of leaving it in the basket.).

I also added a "bonus" that isn't every day to work toward the 100. Which is exercising 2x a week for at least half an hour. I've been swimming wed/fri so I made a rule that if I miss one I have to take a walk or ride the exercise bike on Saturday/Sunday/or Monday. If I miss both, then Saturday AND Monday. I missed Friday to pick up dd, so I did a long walk with dh today and I'm good for the month so far.

[Chicken lady]

Gardinarian, how is your diet going?

I may have to scale down a little. I've been doing really well, but then Thursday I missed my water with dinner - because dinner was a piece of bread with cheese and some fruit and nut mix eaten in the car on my way to a class I just started, and yesterday I forgot the cans (I have a pile of empty cans to crush. I've limited myself to two sodas a day - which sadly is an improvement - and I'm trying to crush at least three every day. - I meant little changes.)

I also did the bare minimum in several other areas and did not add a new change.

On the positive side, after two weeks, I have lost over a pound, my blood pressure is good, there is no sour milk in my fridge, and even though Friday is usually my rough day, there is minimal dirty laundry and no clean laundry waiting to be put away, my sink was empty when I got up this morning, and the dishes in my dishwasher are clean. Also my skin is in pretty good shape for winter and some of my nails have white at the tips.

[nswef]

Chicken Lady, You need to put stars on a chart for yourself!!!

[Chicken lady]

Lol! I am pretty happy with my little page of hatch marks. I would feel silly giving myself a star for brushing my teeth!

[nswef]

Never underestimate the value of stars!

[Chicken lady]

So yesterday was not a sucessful day habit-wise. But that was because I got a surprise visit from my dd and heart grandson, and accepted a spontaneous invitation from dh to go do something fun. So, enjoying life wins over being a creature of habit.

I am going to give some thought o this today though, as I still have only 16 things on my list.

[Chicken lady]

I should be up to at least 25 by now, but I am stalled out at 21. Some of them are becoming second nature and others I forget until I go to check off my list. I am still finding myself being more mindful.

I put work on my pottery every day as the first thing on my list, and focusing on that is definitely changing things in my life. I've only missed one day so far. I've also only missed one day of one of the self care things on my list. And dh is helping more with the kitchen on weekends now that I'm keeping up with it better during he week.

[early morning]

I'll jump in - sounds like a good idea! I too am one who sets the bar too high and then gets dejected and gives up too soon. I'm going to go for one a week right now - chaos reigns here, and I think one is all I can handle; I'm having enough trouble not regressing on the good things I already do. So for the next 7 days, I will focus on spending 15 minutes each day on organizing and sorting our shop inventory - which is all over the house - and NOT taking that 15 minutes from other chores I'm already in the habit of doing.

[Chicken lady]

Earlymorning, it's the "15 minutes"es that derail me. I focus so hard on scheduling them into my day. So I'm trying to make things second nature. Now and then through the day I'll glance at my list to see if I'm caught up or forgetting something, especially right before I start a "filler" activity (like this) or while the microwave is going, or coming in or going out, but I've started to actually think about the things on the list.

So i might set your goal as "shop inventory" and then make sure I addressed it every day, if it's all over the house, that might just mean that I'm in a room, see something, and carry it to where it belongs. Anther day it might mean that I realize I have a free hour and really dig into things. The important part being that I keep the shop inventory at the front of my mind and make use of opportunities to take care of it. Eventually you find yourself clicking on the cat video your aunt sent you and thinking "seriously? Why am I not working on the shop inventory?"

[Chicken lady]

So I am keeping up with most of my changes most days, but I have stopped adding. This probably sounds stupid - but I forgot I am seasonal. And now it is dark and wet and cold and the depression is closing in and I am asking myself " what made you think you could overhaul your life between the equinox and the winter solstice?" good question. Maybe the new habits I'm working on will help smooth the way though.

[early morning]

Chicken lady, I may have to give up my 15 minutes and go with your idea of just addressing it each day in some way. This has been a crazy week and things don't seem to be getting any easier... I'm sorry you have to deal with seasonal issues. I have to say I love each season as it comes, excepting summer - dark wet cold is very comforting to me, as long as I have a warm dry place to snuggle into and appreciate.

[Chicken lady]

Yesterday I had a migraine. I am still doing most of the stuff, but not charting at the moment. I'm going to try to make it 25 and make a fresh chart to start on Sunday. I really am seeing differences (like, yesterday I had a migraine, but my house/life absorbed the day without me getting up this morning and feeling overwhelmed.)

[Gardenarian]

I had migraines and they disappeared with menopause, thank the Goddess.
My "cure" was 1 tylenol, 1 aspirin, 1 Sudaphed, and a pint of cold water with 1/2 tsp. baking soda in it, sipped slowly.
And if that didn't work, an ice pack, a xanax, and into bed in a dark room.
I am so grateful that at least one aspect of my health improved as I aged!
Best wishes.