Back in January this year, I published a post on this blog titled, ‘Creating New Habits, Not Resolutions.’
I related how that there were certain positive changes that I wanted to implement in my life. I set up a spreadsheet, listed the new habits and proceeded to (over time) introduce new habits one-by-one, so as not to overload myself. Each day, I checked the ones off I had done.
It seemed like a great idea at the time, however, as life does (when you set goals) all sorts of challenges came up, notwithstanding the biggest which was family related involved the health of my wife’s parents (which is ongoing).
By the time all 11 new habits were in play, I only managed to achieve all of them done, 5 times i.e. there were 5 days when all 11 habits were checked off. The rest of the time some were and some weren’t…
Some of the new habits were, meditation, walking, exercising, watercolour sketching…
By the time June 2019 arrived I began to realise that it just wasn’t working. One of the problems was that I seemed to be ‘just checking them off to say that they were done…’ and it became a chore rather than the seamless inclusion in my life that I was expecting.
Watercolour sketching was the only habit that I checked off every day. As of yesterday, I have completed a Watercolour Sketch 228 days in a row.
Observations from this exercise are:
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I was putting too much pressure on myself
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Watercolour sketching is now my meditation
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I’m now aiming (one at a time) to add 3 new habits into my life
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I believe there is enough pressure in life without us putting more upon ourselves.
We are a week into Spring in Sydney, Australia. It is starting to warm up a little so I think regular walking will be the next habit I introduce.
Keep smiling!
Communicating Creatively 