What does that mean exactly? Are you ready for a change?
It’s easy to say "I want to make a change in my life", but then the “when", "how", and "what does that look like” make the choices seem overwhelming. We tend to get stuck in looking at all our imperfections, wanting to fix everything we perceive wrong with ourselves in one magic moment, basically becoming an entirely new entity. Then the task seems momentous and we shrug and say "oh well, it was a good thought. But who am I kidding. This is who I am going to be forever."
Riddle me this Batgirl, what makes change possible? Is it being a super hero and leaping tall piles of what we hate in ourselves in a single bound? Orrrr…. Is it taking one courageous step in ANY direction, different from the place where we have been standing still far too long?
One step, that all it takes to change EVERYTHING. One small step. Because by definition, even one small step away from habits and/or routine, one small step from who we were yesterday makes us a new creation today. The thing that trips us up is being afraid of where to step next. I propose that it’s not about the destination or goal. It IS about not doing the same thing you did yesterday. That is a win! Imagine looking down at your feet and seeing an empty footstep where you used to be. Don’t worry about looking up at the goal and seeing how far away it is. Just keep moving.
That’s all well and good you might say, but where do I start?
A good way to begin is by doing a simple 30 day challenge.Soooo many types of 30 day challenges! (I have a board on Pinterest dedicated to them. Steal one if you like.) Some focus on exercise and eating right, drinking water and healthy habits. Some contain the key to decluttering, being a better Mother or wife. Being a happier YOU. Learning to meditate, learning to run when all you’ve ever done is walk. So many choices!
I began collecting these challenges because my personal goal this year is to pick one each month and do my BEST at it. If I miss a day, I pick an easier day and do two tasks, or I skip it all together and move on. The key is to keep moving, keep trying keep looking at those empty footsteps behind you and smile in the knowledge you are growing. If you don’t see any you like, make up your own. Maybe you wish you looked more put together even though you are a housewife and feel like there is no place to go. SO maybe your challenge is not to wear a pony tail or sweat pants for a month. Maybe ad some lip gloss on a day the no pony tail thing was particularly easy. It doesn’t matter what you do, just do something that embraces the spirit of your goal. Not everything, and not all at once. And if you happen to wear a ponytail one day, then you try again the next day, because it makes you feel good to do it.
Riddle me this Batgirl, what makes change possible? Is it being a super hero and leaping tall piles of what we hate in ourselves in a single bound? Orrrr…. Is it taking one courageous step in ANY direction, different from the place where we have been standing still far too long?
One step, that all it takes to change EVERYTHING. One small step. Because by definition, even one small step away from habits and/or routine, one small step from who we were yesterday makes us a new creation today. The thing that trips us up is being afraid of where to step next. I propose that it’s not about the destination or goal. It IS about not doing the same thing you did yesterday. That is a win! Imagine looking down at your feet and seeing an empty footstep where you used to be. Don’t worry about looking up at the goal and seeing how far away it is. Just keep moving.
That’s all well and good you might say, but where do I start?
A good way to begin is by doing a simple 30 day challenge.Soooo many types of 30 day challenges! (I have a board on Pinterest dedicated to them. Steal one if you like.) Some focus on exercise and eating right, drinking water and healthy habits. Some contain the key to decluttering, being a better Mother or wife. Being a happier YOU. Learning to meditate, learning to run when all you’ve ever done is walk. So many choices!
I began collecting these challenges because my personal goal this year is to pick one each month and do my BEST at it. If I miss a day, I pick an easier day and do two tasks, or I skip it all together and move on. The key is to keep moving, keep trying keep looking at those empty footsteps behind you and smile in the knowledge you are growing. If you don’t see any you like, make up your own. Maybe you wish you looked more put together even though you are a housewife and feel like there is no place to go. SO maybe your challenge is not to wear a pony tail or sweat pants for a month. Maybe ad some lip gloss on a day the no pony tail thing was particularly easy. It doesn’t matter what you do, just do something that embraces the spirit of your goal. Not everything, and not all at once. And if you happen to wear a ponytail one day, then you try again the next day, because it makes you feel good to do it.
| I keep track of my success on a part of my planner I never really used before. The month at a glance section is perfect for tracking my progress. Keeping focus and checking off the days I succeed. I do love my check marks. January I did an unclutter challenge. I also had surgery on my hand at the end of the year, so I could have chosen better. And no, I didn’t get everything done I would have liked to, but I did finish the month way more organized than I started, and to me that was an absolute win! February I am doing a 30 day marriage challenge, the focus is showing my husband how much I love him. I have already picked my challenge for March and plotted it on the calendar. Something worth mentioning, the idea that it only takes 21 days to start a habit is a myth. As this report in the Huffington Post by James Clear illustrates, studies show it takes AT LEAST 21 days, but more often than not, much, much longer. However, embarking on a new habit is not the point of doing the challenges. The point is making a space for change in my life. And that is all that matters. Journeys change, goals change, you change. Look at those footprints that show you changing. Then build momentum on that. Those empty footprints where you no longer stand stagnate, immobilized with fear ARE your success story. |  February's Challenge in my Planner... Don't judge! It's getting the job done. |
