PHASE 2

 I'm officially 30 days in. 

At first, I thought this year would be a series of 30 day challenges. I've done the 30 day challenge thing in the past. I did enjoy the routine of scheduling the challenges in my planner and dedicating myself to the challenges, one after another. The only problem was that I didn't really see any lasting changes. I'd jump from putting my full attention to one task for 30 days to dedicating my full attention to a different task. And I'd fall back into old habit from the first challenge. At the end of my extended period of time (6 months, a year, whatever) I had a bunch of interesting memories, but I hadn't really changed any habits.

This time around, I'm hoping to build habits. So I am, yes, picking some habits to implement in 30 day chunks. But I'm not jumping into them with the mindset of "all or nothing". Nor am I "moving on" the next month. I'm really more focused on adding on, or "habit stacking".  So if I miss a few days or don't do my tasks with 100% accuracy, I'm not looking at it as a failure. I'm looking at it as one step closer to lasting change.

That being said....

1) DEVELOP A WRITING PRACTICE: I have been writing with about 75% accuracy. But not on the blog. So I'm gonna continue with this....blog style!

2) RUNNING STREAK: I feel pretty happy about this. I didn't run every day (the day it was raining sideways I opted to stay in) and I'm still actually doing a run-walk-run routine. But I feel better. I haven't had any numbness down my leg. And I'm moving on to Thing #4- run a 5 K!

3) PARING DOWN POSSESSIONS: This has been my favorite thing thus far. I'm more organized and feel less stressed. I also have developed some really enjoyable OTHER habits from this. On Saturday mornings, I have been slowly going through a pile of "stuff to read"- magazine articles and newspaper clippings that I put in a basket for a later day. It's a nice habit. I've been enjoying Saturday mornings.

And in the spirit of making long lasting habits, over the next 30 days, I'm NOT going to give up TV or social media or looking at news for 30 days straight. All three have been sources of anxiety and stress for me over the past 2 years.  The news gets increasingly worse, people get increasingly more aggressive and rude on social media, and I.....I fall exhausted on the couch and mindlessly binge TV shows.  A 30 day break from any of these things would be good for me. My fear, though, that I'd go back and spend double to time after the 30 days end.  Instead, I'm starting the habit of one week breaks from each. Every single month. I'm starting next week with social media. Just a week. To distance myself from the negativity. Then the following week TV. and the week after that news.  (If think of a good 4th thing to ditch fro a week between now and then, I'll add that in, too) But most importantly, I'll continue it for the rest of the year.  So I'm excited. Here's to the next 30 days!!