Realistically, though, I do want to create some new habits for myself. The older I get the more I realize that deliberateness serves me much better than just "letting things happen" (mostly because then they don't happen). So I've started a project for myself this year. I'm super creative, so in my head I call it The 31 Project because I'm 31 years old - mind blowing, I know. You wish you had the genius I do...admit it.
The project is this: I've chosen three things that I want to become regular habits in my life. To motivate myself, I have put a visual reminder of them in my apartment, three color-coded glass containers with 31 identical small items in each; tiny decorative balls bought at Christmas Tree Shops - cause I love a bargain (you're totally singing the song in your head, aren't you...). A fourth jar eagerly awaits my success, to be filled with these items one by one as I do the related thing. My goal is to do each of the three things 31 times before I turn 32.
Now, that may seem easy; "I will make by bed 31 times this year!" But the trick is choosing something that is at the same time a challenge, achievable, and hopefully that will turn into a regular habit. When I was first deciding, I entertained the idea of making one of them reading 31 books this year (then I came back to sanity - thats a book about every week and a half). So instead I've made my three a little easier, so I don't bum myself out and lose motivation. Number one is sending a friend a card or letter (red jar). Number two is to write a blog post (green jar).
Moving a small item from one container to another may seem like a silly gimmick to try and get someone moving in the right direction. Some people may think that if you can't do it without such a tiny reward, then you won't do it at all. But sometimes all it takes is a small hook to be the thing to push you over the edge towards good habits. I like the visual reminder to do it, to see what I've accomplished and how far I have left to go.
So here's to my first step in The 31 Project, a blog that gets one green drop of accomplishment moved from "who-I-wish-to-be" to "I'm-on-my-way."
