Are you tired of me mentioning what an inspiration Jenny Meyerson is to me? Well, she's done it again.
I write my lists and focus on my goals, but rarely (since I quit smoking over 10 years ago) do I spend much time in an effort to break bad habits or, on a more positive note, encourage better habits. There are a few small things, tweaks, I think I could introduce that would make my life fuller, more routine and smooth. I simply have to add a few good - mindful - practices.
For the next 30 days, I plan to consciously focus on:
MOVE MORE | I really have to stop allowing excuses (usually weather!) to stop me from doing this. Though I've incorporated some pretty good habits, it's not enough to just park at the furthest spot in the lot to get in a few extra steps through my day. I have to carve out time - one hour each day - and walk. And when I don't walk, I need to use that new-ish YMCA membership and swim for an hour. Give the FitBit something to record!
REPLACE WINE | Like many, I drink wine in the evenings. On those rare evenings we are not leaving the house, it's not a stretch for me to have a glass while making dinner. A glass while eating dinner. Maybe a glass while cleaning up after dinner. Probably a glass while watching television or surfing the internet in the evenings. This is completely out of habit not out of any great need or desire. I plan to replace those glasses with Perrier - in a wine glass - with a slice of fruit, a splash of cranberry juice, or muddled mint :)
READ BOOKS | All day long I read something: blogs, e-mails and facebook updates. I do not read anything with a front and back cover! I do have a huge collection of books, just not enough focus on time to read them. This has to change. I can't encourage my kids to read by not doing it myself.
EMPTY SINK | Even though the dinner dishes are cleaned up, I always come downstairs in the morning to a sink full of dishes! It is not a good start to my day and it has to change. Before I head up to bed in the evenings, I have to clean out the sink in order to start the next day without a sigh of frustration.
MANAGING PHOTOS | I take a lot of photos - about 1,500 each month. I have no problem deleting photos, I just don't do it. I'll stick the card into the reader, upload the photos, get distracted and leave even the good ones and the crappy ones on iPhoto. I have to make a more conscious of uploading only when I have time to cull. Then, by the end of the month, I won't be as overwhelmed when I'm putting together a review or coordinating my Project Life images.
In addition to the lovely Pinterest find above*, I love the quote Jenny had on her initial post: "The pain of self-discipline will never be as great as the pain of regret." Truth.
* The ending in a preposition does bother me - a lot. I must find something similar but less disagreeable.
Originally written March 23, 2012
Published September 1, 2012
