When I think about habits I developed in 2013, it helps to start with a few things. First, I don’t really do New Year’s Resolutions. I find the concept of starting something new simply because the calendar changed to be odd and forced. I also don’t make changes in my life in a swift manner — (almost) never will I jump at recognizing something I want to make into my new pattern and make that happen the next moment. Unfortunately, I move slowly, ploddingly, as if through thick molasses.
Because of that, I fall into habits I dislike and have to drag myself into the habitual behaviors that I wish to emulate and continue.
Frustrating habit: eat a handful of small chocolates from the fridge each time I stand up when at home.
Good habit: going to the gym 15 or so times per month during 2013.
Frustrating habit: stick my fingers in my ears, ostensibly to clean my ears out or itch them
Good habit: wake up prior to 8 a.m. almost every weekend day and get something done
Frustrating habit: grab a treat, or two or three, whenever a co-worker brings in something for my office to snack on
Good habit: reduce my Diet Coke consumption significantly during the second half of 2013
Frustrating habit: go back to the Diet Coke whenever I feel tired, and too often when I’m traveling
Good habit: using my phone less, so it actually didn’t die each day
Frustrating habit: grabbing my phone when someone else around me grabs it — seriously, this happens, watch for it
Good habit: drinking significantly more water at work each day
Frustrating habit: that means I have to pee way too frequently
I could continue this point-counterpoint on habits, but I guess what I can say about my habits is that my good ones seem to equal out my frustrating ones, so it’s time for me to try to do some work to fix it. Hopefully, in 2014, the good outweighs the other.
[This is #ThinkKit post 10.]
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