I don’t know the statistic right off, but I’ve heard it takes having to do something a certain amount of times over and over again before it will actually start becoming engrained, start becoming a standard thought and action pattern.
I think back to not long ago when I started to worry about transitioning my half marathon training from machines in the basement to outside at the lake. I was so worried I would stop getting up early to exercise and I would soon quit my training all together. But I am determined to tackle this goal, and so far so good. 4:20am every morning at the lake I get up and head out. I have been blessed beyond my wildest imagination at the sunrises, wildlife, and moments in nature with God that I have been granted to experience. While I still fear I’m only one oversleeping morning away from quitting training entirely, I do think it’s safe to say that I have actually transitioned into this new habit and morning routine at the lake with general ease and accomplishment. (I am also very grateful our dog thinks she needs to eat and go out at 4:20am every morning as well. I probably need to give her all the credit for my early morning motivation.)
I think of lists of other things I’ve worked and focused on to achieve, change, overcome throughout the years. Some I’ve achieved, some I haven’t. Some I’ve conquered, some I have failed. Some I have managed to continue long term, some were just short little accomplishments notched on my belt, but unsustainable long term.
In my perfection laced mind there is always something. Always something not good enough, something not perfect enough, something not acceptable enough in mind. I’m also one of those “go big or go home” people, who often just reach out for the biggest thing I can possibly attempt to tackle and just start running towards it.
Until running actually became one of those things I wanted to start tackling (cuz, you know, I'm not actually a runner or athlete...) Running I have found is a beast like nothing else I’ve experienced. It is hard, it is challenging, it is unpleasant. It is rewarding, it is healthy, it is oddly fulfilling. Running for me seems to be an incredible battle between good vs evil. Mind vs matter. Will vs motivation. Yes, right now I am in a season of running, a season of health, a season of weightloss. I am not sure how long I will continue to conquer, but for today, I will simply continue forward while my health and my body allow.
But, back to the intentional setting out to do something small every single day in hopes that it simply becomes an every day part of daily life. I decided that I would take three small things, three actually very tiny things and target them specifically throughout the next three weeks.
I picked something perhaps odd, perhaps not. But I picked something that I should probably already long have been doing, something I’ve told myself a million time to do, but for whatever reason don't.
Three weeks. Three simple daily steps.
But, back to the intentional setting out to do something small every single day in hopes that it simply becomes an every day part of daily life. I decided that I would take three small things, three actually very tiny things and target them specifically throughout the next three weeks.
I picked something perhaps odd, perhaps not. But I picked something that I should probably already long have been doing, something I’ve told myself a million time to do, but for whatever reason don't.
Three weeks. Three simple daily steps.
1- brush my teeth every night before bed.
I have somehow got a little hit-and-miss with this… more misses than hits…
2- wash my face and apply skin care cream every night before bed.
I have never been good at doing this, I sleep in my makeup…
3- untie my running shoes before taking them off.
I have somehow long fallen into the habit of just sliding them off while still tied. The backs of most my tennis shoes end up split in the back. Granted they all have each logged thousands of miles probably… but that is irregardless. ~lol. I have finally just upgraded to two brand new sets of running shoes. A set for inside on the equipment. A set that I will need to force myself to break in, force myself to bring them from brand new, to gently used and abused, in a matter of a few shorts weeks. New shoes are hard for me for some reason.
So there they are, the three simple things that will hopefully be old hat in three short weeks. Three simple things I should already be doing, but I'm not.
Little things, tiny steps. Because not everything has to be big and mighty, not everything has to change the world, not everything needs to even change my life. Little is still big enough. Little is still forward, little is still positive momentum, little is often much more achievable. Little is still worthy… And how often doesn’t the accomplishment of little things lead to the accomplishment of much bigger things?
I’m not sure why for me it’s sometimes hardest to tackle the smallest. I’m all about the extreme, and little is often just overlooked or simply in the way.
That face and those teeth that I’m going to wash, moisturize, brush every night before bed from now on, are going to continue to smile, continue to eat healthy (ok, and some not so healthy) foods. My crows feet and laugh lines will still be there when I smile, my blemishes will still need a little foundation to be covered up. Nice skin and teeth aren’t a big thing in life, but still simply smart to take care of.
Those shoes I’m going to untie every time I take them off from now on, they are going to be on my feet the next time I try accomplish another goal and dream of mine. They will also be on my feet all the days of training and living in-between those big accomplishment making (or failing) days. Nice shoes aren’t a big thing in life, but they too, are still simply smart to take care of.
How about we all try get in the habit of taking care of the little things shall we? And soon we will also hopefully get in the habit of wanting to also take care of the really big things. And that my friends, is perhaps the key to great success. It’s intentionally taking on the little things so the big things can also someday be attainable. It’s not that we can’t skip the small to tackle the large… but I think the practice of small accomplishments is a far stronger longterm foundation in which to continue to build and climb on on our way to much bigger and higher dream catching.
Yup, I am simply going to wash my face, brush my teeth, and untie my shoes all the way to heaven only knows where… :-)
{ Next blog post "When I Finally Quit Quitting" HERE }
{ Previous blog post "Nights That Are Heavy" HERE }
I have somehow got a little hit-and-miss with this… more misses than hits…
2- wash my face and apply skin care cream every night before bed.
I have never been good at doing this, I sleep in my makeup…
3- untie my running shoes before taking them off.
I have somehow long fallen into the habit of just sliding them off while still tied. The backs of most my tennis shoes end up split in the back. Granted they all have each logged thousands of miles probably… but that is irregardless. ~lol. I have finally just upgraded to two brand new sets of running shoes. A set for inside on the equipment. A set that I will need to force myself to break in, force myself to bring them from brand new, to gently used and abused, in a matter of a few shorts weeks. New shoes are hard for me for some reason.
So there they are, the three simple things that will hopefully be old hat in three short weeks. Three simple things I should already be doing, but I'm not.
Little things, tiny steps. Because not everything has to be big and mighty, not everything has to change the world, not everything needs to even change my life. Little is still big enough. Little is still forward, little is still positive momentum, little is often much more achievable. Little is still worthy… And how often doesn’t the accomplishment of little things lead to the accomplishment of much bigger things?
I’m not sure why for me it’s sometimes hardest to tackle the smallest. I’m all about the extreme, and little is often just overlooked or simply in the way.
That face and those teeth that I’m going to wash, moisturize, brush every night before bed from now on, are going to continue to smile, continue to eat healthy (ok, and some not so healthy) foods. My crows feet and laugh lines will still be there when I smile, my blemishes will still need a little foundation to be covered up. Nice skin and teeth aren’t a big thing in life, but still simply smart to take care of.
Those shoes I’m going to untie every time I take them off from now on, they are going to be on my feet the next time I try accomplish another goal and dream of mine. They will also be on my feet all the days of training and living in-between those big accomplishment making (or failing) days. Nice shoes aren’t a big thing in life, but they too, are still simply smart to take care of.
How about we all try get in the habit of taking care of the little things shall we? And soon we will also hopefully get in the habit of wanting to also take care of the really big things. And that my friends, is perhaps the key to great success. It’s intentionally taking on the little things so the big things can also someday be attainable. It’s not that we can’t skip the small to tackle the large… but I think the practice of small accomplishments is a far stronger longterm foundation in which to continue to build and climb on on our way to much bigger and higher dream catching.
Yup, I am simply going to wash my face, brush my teeth, and untie my shoes all the way to heaven only knows where… :-)
{ Next blog post "When I Finally Quit Quitting" HERE }
{ Previous blog post "Nights That Are Heavy" HERE }
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