Please Note: I started my 100 Days Challenge on May 25, 2010 but you can start any time. I hope you'll join me in working towards positive change. My original post on my 100 Days Challenge will explain what I am doing and how I chose my challenge.
Last night (Tuesday) was the end of the 35th day of my challenge. Five weeks and one thing I have learned for myself is that it DEFINITELY takes more than 21 days to develop a new habit. Out of the last 35 days, I've missed four, so I'm averaging a little more than six days out of seven, which is good. I am still struggling to make this a smooth part of my morning routine but there have been some discoveries and improvements.
I have discovered that once I get through the first step, the rest is routine. So, though I still struggle through the first step, once started I no longer struggle to complete my new morning routine. I sometimes change the sequence of my routine but I have decided to always do the same two actions first. I think I may be developing a positive trigger and I don't intend to mess with it.
I have noticed two key improvements: 1) My attitude about making changes and establishing good habits is better. I'm actually looking forward to tackling a new one -- yes, even though I'm still struggling with the first. I feel like I'm ready to take on more. Maybe I will start a new habit on day 51. 2) I'm feeling better in general. With just these few minutes in the morning (7 - 10) I have begun to feel stronger and my knee pain is minimal.
One thing that happened on one of the days I missed was that I completely forgot about the new routine. This was around day 23 or 24 and I got out of bed and went about my day. It was lunch time when I realized what had - or hadn't - happened. It took a lot not to get down on myself but I concentrated on the fact that I am making this change, I committed to it, and this one day did not change that.
My advice: If you miss a day or don't follow through on your challenge for a day, don't start over, keep going. Accept that the missed day is part of the process, not an excuse to quit.
I'd love to hear what your challenge is and how you are doing. Drop me a line.
I can do it! You can do it! We can do it!
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