“This DECEMBER I Will...”
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MadisonMolly2017
Posts: 11,031 Member
Welcome!
🛷 For information on achieving your goals through tiny habit changes, please Google “BF Fogg.” He has some very short talks < 3 minutes and longer interviews.
The bottom line, habits trump motivation. Tiny habits give us confidence in our ability to be successful in changing our behavior which leads to more tiny habits which then leads to success.
The book Atomic Habits by James Clear has been helpful for many members & is now 56% off on Amazon. He also has a free (short) email he sends out every Thursday that ALWAYS has something I find very wise/insightful!
https://www.google.com/search?q=atomic+Habits&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari
☃️ It's a brand new month! What's your favorite part of DECEMBER?
What healthy habit would you like to work on this month? Is it something new or a continuation of your November focus? Whatever it is, let's dive in and make it happen!
❄️If you are new to our group, welcome! Please let us know what you will be working on and how we can help! Just a suggestion: set a reminder to check-in periodically with us. Check-in daily, weekly, or as often as works for you, but let us know how you are progressing! We're here to support and encourage you, but if you don't post, we can't cheer you on!
🌲You might frame your goal along these lines:
1. My goal for this month (This December I will...")
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible)
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? (Small positive feedbacks reinforce the habit you are trying to build.) An arm pump, saying “you did it! To yourself, stickers, hugging yourself...
6. What help do you need from us?
7. What does success look like to you at the end of November?
Optional:
Short form for tiny habits:
AFTER I ________________________
I WILL __________________________
Examples:
After I brush my teeth, I will floss one tooth.
After I drink my afternoon coffee, I will put on my walking shoes.
After I put away my breakfast dishes, I will prep 3 servings of vegetables for the day.
After I clean up after dinner, I will plan tomorrow’s dinner & move necessary items from freezer to refrigerator.
After I weigh myself in the morning, I will drink 2 cups of refreshingly, cool water.
After I start my coffee brewing, I will stand on each leg for 30 seconds.
You get the idea!
#TinyHabitsWork
🛷 For information on achieving your goals through tiny habit changes, please Google “BF Fogg.” He has some very short talks < 3 minutes and longer interviews.
The bottom line, habits trump motivation. Tiny habits give us confidence in our ability to be successful in changing our behavior which leads to more tiny habits which then leads to success.
The book Atomic Habits by James Clear has been helpful for many members & is now 56% off on Amazon. He also has a free (short) email he sends out every Thursday that ALWAYS has something I find very wise/insightful!
https://www.google.com/search?q=atomic+Habits&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari
☃️ It's a brand new month! What's your favorite part of DECEMBER?
What healthy habit would you like to work on this month? Is it something new or a continuation of your November focus? Whatever it is, let's dive in and make it happen!
❄️If you are new to our group, welcome! Please let us know what you will be working on and how we can help! Just a suggestion: set a reminder to check-in periodically with us. Check-in daily, weekly, or as often as works for you, but let us know how you are progressing! We're here to support and encourage you, but if you don't post, we can't cheer you on!
🌲You might frame your goal along these lines:
1. My goal for this month (This December I will...")
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible)
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? (Small positive feedbacks reinforce the habit you are trying to build.) An arm pump, saying “you did it! To yourself, stickers, hugging yourself...
6. What help do you need from us?
7. What does success look like to you at the end of November?
Optional:
Short form for tiny habits:
AFTER I ________________________
I WILL __________________________
Examples:
After I brush my teeth, I will floss one tooth.
After I drink my afternoon coffee, I will put on my walking shoes.
After I put away my breakfast dishes, I will prep 3 servings of vegetables for the day.
After I clean up after dinner, I will plan tomorrow’s dinner & move necessary items from freezer to refrigerator.
After I weigh myself in the morning, I will drink 2 cups of refreshingly, cool water.
After I start my coffee brewing, I will stand on each leg for 30 seconds.
You get the idea!
#TinyHabitsWork
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Replies
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@MadisonMolly2017 thank you for posting the new Dec threads! You really are carrying the ball with this group!!!
My one question for you is DO YOU EVER SLEEP!!!!???? You have so much going on I don't know how you do it! (yeah I know.. one small habit/step at a time ) do you have a pretty tracker to share also? please?
Anyway, on the other side of the spectrum. also in maintenance but just focusing on one small habit
1. My goal for this month (This December I will brush my teeth 3 x a day when I get up, noon, before bed)
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal. I already brush in the morning, floss and waterpik at lunch and pik at night but I want to add more brushing.
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit. When I go to water pik I will add brushing immediately after!
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible) adding 2 times a day for a total of 3x
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? (Small positive feedbacks reinforce the habit you are trying to build.) An arm pump, saying “you did it! To yourself, stickers, hugging yourself... I will remind myself how EXPENSIVE and PAINFUL dental work is and that I already have 2 crowns on the agenda for next year. I want that to be IT for a while.
6. What help do you need from us? Reminders about how nasty dentist stuff is.
7. What does success look like to you at the end of December? CLEAN shiny teeth and a resolve to schedule my appointments in Jan for cleaning and crowns. (my Dentist is also retiring so I may need to find a reference closer - I have used him for probably 20 years!)
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Hi Again,
Sorry been really busy with an ugly house maintenance job & some other tasks.
Thank you for the book idea @SummerSkier and @nebslp. In the midst of all the room clearing etc, your comments brought smiles to my lips. Thank you!
I don’t have a pretty tracker for Nov. I focused the time in making art instead. Just kept track on a small notepad. Not as gorgeous, I agree, but I feel I have to stay a bit LOl focused.
And thanks, I do try to do well by all of you. 💐1 -
I love your plan for December, @SummerSkier. Is there any part of it that feels more difficult than the rest?1
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Maddie, I love that wreath!
December Goals:
1. Continue taking medicine as prescribed. (M)
2. Incorporate 5 minutes of "intentional movement" daily. (MV)
3. Read 10 minutes of a book daily. (R)
Looking at this thread daily will serve as a reminder to me. For the reading and "intentional movement," I may set a timer. Also, I'm really happy with how November turned out, so that helps.
I think the goal I might have an "issue" with is the reading. I was debating having it be a "three days a week" goal, but 10 minutes a day "should" be manageable. Reading is something I used to love to do.
Happy December 1, Everyone!
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MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »I love your plan for December, @SummerSkier. Is there any part of it that feels more difficult than the rest?
yes - I get sleepy REALLY fast so sometimes altho I will waterpik after I eat my dinner salad, I want to take advantage of the sleepy monster and just get in bed. So I need to figure out when I will brush my teeth in the evening also and it needs to be BEfore that sleep monster attacks.
Maddie, that's interesting that you feel like you are struggling a little with your eating habits. I find over time that I eat faster and faster and don't remember to savor the taste as much as i should. So good reminder here from you. Unfortunately I will never (and I don't say this lightly but after 50 yrs of experience) be able to just be a mindful eater. I don't have the correct satiety triggers anymore which is why I will log forever. I do know that if I have a huge meal that I get hungrier when it disappates. Just some thoughts. I will be following your progress and insights on this.
@PKM0515 I like your Dec goals. Basically you are adding 15 minutes of things per day which if you go back and see where you spend your time each day I bet you can find easily! Best of luck. (ps - I hate timers! they stress me out)
Looking forward to hearing everyone else's Dec ideas.
@texasgardnr
@nebslp
@77tes
@packerfaninGB
@themedalist - will you join us or at least give us an update on how you are doing?!!
@goingape (journaling before bedtime)
@jrsepe12
Hope I did not miss anyone...
SummerinDecFREEZINGinTxtoday
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Maddie, I love that wreath!
December Goals:
1. Continue taking medicine as prescribed. (M)
2. Incorporate 5 minutes of "intentional movement" daily. (MV)
3. Read 10 minutes of a book daily. (R)
Looking at this thread daily will serve as a reminder to me. For the reading and "intentional movement," I may set a timer. Also, I'm really happy with how November turned out, so that helps.
I think the goal I might have an "issue" with is the reading. I was debating having it be a "three days a week" goal, but 10 minutes a day "should" be manageable. Reading is something I used to love to do.
Happy December 1, Everyone!
Hi @PKM0515 !
Read a bunch of Atomic Habits last night...
For the reading, or any new habit, best if 2 minutes & it should not feel hard...
How about some version of..
After I _______, I will go to _________, choose a book, & read for 2 minutes.
Ex for you to modify...
After I finish cleaning my dinner dishes, I will go to my favorite chair, choose one of my books, and read for 2 minutes.
You could also say After I make my tea at 7pm, I’ll go snuggle in my favorite chair with the Afghan my aunt made me, choose a book, and read for 2 minutes.
Highly suggested by the book that we will be MUCH more successful (I’ll post what he said later..) the more specific we get...
So for my push-ups...
I created When I go to dresser for my socks in the morning, I will do 25 push-ups against it.
He also said to absolutely do the habit every day. So I’m going to do the push-ups daily now....
The KEY is making that pre-activity (going to get socks=push ups) a FORM habit... then over time we can add to it
Eventually...piece by piece, it has become...
When I go to dresser for my socks in the morning, I will do 25 push-ups against it. Do 25 overhead double arm stretches, 2 sets of 10 bent should rotation stretches, and check laundry basket is not full.
A few months from now
When I go to dresser to get socks, I do my strength training workout, straighten bedroom, and start a load of laugh dry as necessary.
So...just focus on setting up the first little bit with an easy habit. Be patient & give yourself time to then gradually add to it.
He suggests making a list of these anchors.
Honestly, I’d never thought of socks until I was too sleepy (@Sumnerskier, I hear you) at night as originally planned so I switched to AM & forgot...asked myself how I could remember Socks!!!!
Anchor, practice with easy habit to entrench that trigger-habit- then you will gradually add as you feel successful..
Mine is:
After my daily walk, I will relax in my chair & read (15 mins) or meditate (15 required, but have been doing 50) and finish any remaining 4 cups of water from my walk.
Hope this helps. I realized I’ve not been specific enough with those newborn habits, focusing too much on the reading- not enough on the anchor trigger, time, place...
The success rate of this method was in the high 80_-90 % . Without it I’ll have to check..I think it was in 30’s - even with listening to a motivational message!!!
After I carry up a load of clean laundry to bedroom , I will put it all away immediately.
In the morning when I feed the cat, I make sure cans are discarded & area is clean. Fill up water dish.
There are many times we are doing this that we never set up as an explicit habit...
We just do it for new habits.
Could you add 2 mins of reading & your MV to after you take morning pull? Or is time too tight then?
And THANK YOU re: wreathe!! One of my latest art pieces!! Totally fun to do!0 -
quite true Maddie. My extra weight workouts done right after I do my walks was a LOT more successful than trying to do them in the evening and setting a timer. yuck. But why this talk of socks?!!! I am missing a black one !!!! Have you found it? I know @nebslp thought she found it covered in dust bunnies under a bed but it was a decoy and not the REAL mcCoy. (I am a poet...)DO NOT MAKE ME START WITH THE IRON TALK!!!!'
and off to brush my teeth. The PREhabit it doing the Waterpik which I am pretty dang good at always doing because it give me joy to see the CRAP out of my teeth)
Summercoldstill2 -
@SummerSkier We had the talk. Now it may be time for acceptance. The running sock is miles away and has found someone else who will take better care not to lose it. Deal with it! (just reread that...maybe a little harsh
sorry). But if anyone finds an iron that is better than the $9 one I bought on sale 20 years ago, I'll take it. Steam preferred. 3 -
Thank you, @ SummerSkier and @MadisonMolly2017!
Maddie, you helped me clarify something I've been mulling over for a while. I don't really have a routine to my day at all. I retired at the beginning of this year. Any real routines I had were related to work or Pookie (🐈 😩).
I agree that being detailed and specific would help. Right now I feel that my only routine is making my morning tea and then reading a daily devotional, something I've done for years. I'm going to give this some thought.
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@pkm0515 I think you might need to adopt or foster. Everyone needs a pandemic companion. I rescued a stray tom at the barn right before easter, and he is one of my best friend's Pandemic partner this year.
As far as my Dec. I think I have set myself up for success accidently. My vanity has 2 sinks in it. One has had a clog for a few months/weeks (time flies in a pandemic!) and it was where I was waterpic/brushing and the other the cat drinks out of and had a leak underneath. Anyway, when the clog got worse I moved my toothbrush over to the other sink which I don't use that much (belongs to the cat obviously!) so that was part of why I was neglecting. Last weekend I bit the bullet and DRAINO/LIQ Plumbered the heck out of my primary sink so that it functions 90% better. And because of this I moved my toothbrush BACK over. It will be a lot easier to remember to brush with it right next to the pic. duh...
If anyone actually followed what I just wrote up above than you are more manic than I. My coffee must have been extra strong today.
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@SummerSkier
Lol, I have Draino in my bathtub drain as I'm writing this!
You are right about getting a cat. Hopefully, I'll be posting a picture before too long. 💞 🐈 💞3 -
I hope you all know I was teasing @SummerSkier in my previous message. Sometimes the intent gets lost online, so forgive me if it came across wrong
Just feeling nostalgic today and wanted to revisit the banter from earlier times
@MadisonMolly2017 That is such a beautiful wreath picture, and what struck me as the most interesting and cute aspect was the buttons. So unexpected and bright!
All good December plans above. I think the trigger is so necessary to changing from a conscious action to a habit. Thanks for spelling that out, @MadisonMolly2017 to clarify it for newcomers and as a reminder for the oldtimers. Drinking water in my coffee cup before pouring the first cup and seeing my vitamins in the bathroom next to the sink have been triggers that really work. @SummerSkier I hope having your waterpik right where you'll see it will be a trigger that works for you, too. And I was able to follow your post. Guess that makes me a little
dare I say (where's the manic icon on this computer?!)?! after 3 cups of coffee and a huge cup of tea this afternoon.
PKM0515 Retirement adjustment is real and it takes awhile before settling in. We all have routines of some sort, but sometimes we can make one small change that will help put better ones in place so we feel like we're getting more of what we want to do accomplished. You've already put the meds habit in place, and I'm sure you will gradually get the rest of the things you want to do in line as well. And what a great way to start your day with a cup of tea and devotional 3 -
dang. I guess I will have to rescind your jail time now @nebslp ... You know a lost sock is serious business and not to be joked about. Of course not on the same scale/weight as actually misplacing an iron.
but who could possibly do that? Still waiting to see what your Dec plan is.... tap tap tap I mean I was brave enough to come up with brushing my teeth after Maddie posted an epic life changing set of metrics...
@PKM0515 wonderful news. I hope your new partner finds you quickly. I have 5 (shhh) so if you want to adopt one of mine.... Savannah is a single girl and absolutely a love but after 11 years I still haven't integrated her with any of the others. She lived with my neigbor for 2 years and had an absolute blast with her and all the people. But other critturs she gets too nervous and strikes out. She's beautiful and probably 11 r 12 now. I have had her since 2011 when I adopted her for my Mom but then my Mom's dementia was too great to take her. She lives in a separate front room in my house with a child gate to keep the others out.
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1. My goal for this month: This December I will go to my basement before noon and work out or stay upstairs and do an exercise video.
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal: Write on my daily planner what I will do that day.
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: 11:00 - the end of my TV show.
4. How often will you do your new habit: every day that I'm home.
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? I will color in the workout square on my goal chart.
6. What help do you need from us: I like to hear from you that we're all working separately together:)
7. What does success look like to you at the end of November? I will have established a daily exercise routine and will look forward to working out instead of resisting it.
Also would love to hear from @Queen_Celeste and @znaoiec if they are returning 1 -
SummerSkier wrote: »dang. I guess I will have to rescind your jail time now @nebslp ... You know a lost sock is serious business and not to be joked about. Of course not on the same scale/weight as actually misplacing an iron. but who could possibly do that? Still waiting to see what your Dec plan is.... tap tap tap I mean I was brave enough to come up with brushing my teeth after Maddie posted an epic life changing set of metrics...
@PKM0515 wonderful news. I hope your new partner finds you quickly. I have 5 (shhh) so if you want to adopt one of mine.... Savannah is a single girl and absolutely a love but after 11 years I still haven't integrated her with any of the others. She lived with my neigbor for 2 years and had an absolute blast with her and all the people. But other critturs she gets too nervous and strikes out. She's beautiful and probably 11 r 12 now. I have had her since 2011 when I adopted her for my Mom but then my Mom's dementia was too great to take her. She lives in a separate front room in my house with a child gate to keep the others out.
She is gorgeous!2 -
@SummerSkier Looks like our messages crossed out in cyberworld. I wouldn't want to mess with your kitty. She is gorgeous but those eyes say she knows it and underlings need to bug off.
I want a pet so bad but keep slapping myself whenever I think seriously about it. We USED to be gone a lot and hopefully we will be again some day, and I don't think it's fair to leave them for weeks at a time. Also I worry too much about anything I'm responsible for and would be a nervous wreck at all times. Maybe some day though.....3 -
December 1 was a success goal-wise!4
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Hi all, ready for my new month. I have my tracker started, but I don’t even have the month written on it. 🤣
1. This December I will do something to prepare for Christmas each day.
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal - I will order or wrap a present, decorate, do some holiday cooking or work on a gift project.
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit - well, putting it on my tracker reminded me today.
4. How often will you do your new habit - daily!
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? Sing “Jingle Bells” or some such appropriate song.
6. What help do you need from us? Cheer me on
7. What does success look like to you at the end of December? I’ll enjoy a more peaceful, less hectic holiday season.3 -
Dec 1 - gift for SIL wrapped
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Wow - so much good here!
More tomorrow, but I’m still not sure of my Dec I Will LOL
I might have to delete my two posts rofl
@SummerSkier I agree re: intuitive eating. In fact my comment was often “That’s what I did the last 50 years...no thanks!”
Your comment made me realize I’m talking about Mindful Eating, not intuitive eating. But today I realized that I DO eat mindfully.
Back to the drawing board for me...!
And @nebslp Thanks for your comment on the wreathe & the whimsical buttons! I appreciate it. I share little of my work, so your comments are extra special...
Maybe...just maybe, I don’t need a new I Will this month...dare I say it...
@PKM0515 I hear you...recently retired & I think of it as Creating the Life You Love! It had taken me awhile (almost 4 years) to get all the pieces in place, but it is SO GREaT now❣️ It’s a great time of discovery!!2
