A Seinfeld September...
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themedalist
Posts: 3,218 Member
Pop quiz: what’s the most important ingredient in building a new habit?
To me, it’s repetition. There is no habit without repetitions. You need to practice over and over again the habit you want to create before it will ever run on autopilot. Yes, cues and rewards are important, but they are supporting characters. They trigger and reinforce the repetitions. The repetitions reign supreme.
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld knows the power of repetition. When asked by an up-and-coming comic what advice he had, Jerry told him to focus on writing more jokes. Write at least one joke every day and don’t break that daily chain. Don’t worry whether a joke is funny or not, that will come later. Just concentrate on the repetitions of daily joke writing.
Let’s follow Jerry‘s lead and have a “Seinfeld September”. Pick a small habit to focus on this month. Something so ridiculously easy that you can do it everyday. The goal this month is to simply not to break the chain. Use a calendar, a tracker, your phone, a journal, or whatever works for you to mark your daily progress, but please use some visual aide. We want to watch our habits grow!
My focus this month will be on a daily 2 minute deep breathing session. I’ll be using a calendar to chart my progress. I can do this and so can you!
Please Read: How to Stop Procrastinating on Your Goals by Using the “Seinfeld Strategy” (James Clear)
Looking forward to hearing what you’ll be working on this month!
🌷Denise & 🌸Maddie
@themedalist & @MadisonMolly2017
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Replies
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Great tiny habit @clarity8796 reading is something easy to neglect.
Hmm, I haven’t decided what habit I want to work on this month, but I love the Seinfeld strategy, like my one word journal habit I started about this time last year. I’m almost finished with my second journal.7 -
Hello September
@themedalist and @MadisonMolly2017 Thank you for setting up Seinfeld September 
I'm excited about it because I need to get back to basics and this is the perfect plan. It sounds like James Clear's 30 day plan will be separate from the weekly newsletter, maybe. We'll see (fingers crossed)! I signed up for it.
This month I will be returning to a previous habit that has become sporadic recently.
I WILL use my daily planner and set my intention for the day. It won't be a to-do task list like it had become. More of a... this is the direction I want my life to go in one area (healthy living) and these are the things I need to do today to make it a reality. That might sound complicated and long, but my goal is to write one intention daily, and where it leads remains to be seen. I'm excited about making a chart, of course
and have been giving the style some thought. This is going to be fun!
@themedalist My guess is that at the end of the two minute deep breathing session you may not want to stop. What a great way to center yourself in the midst of all you have going on.
@clarity8796 I like your name I am impressed at your journaling commitment. Wow!13 journals and counting!! And I love your goal! Reading is a passion of mine. I use audio books when I get dressed or when I clean or sew. I ALWAYS have my iPad with me in the car. If I'm alone, I connect my audiobook to the radio and listen while I drive. I could use my phone but I'm still going old-school with my iPad 
Just a couple ways you can get reading time in if you don't have time or inclination to sit down with a physical book. I can give you some recommendations for some really awesome books that I couldn't wait to get back to. They were physical books so I had to walk around carrying my book some days just so I could get some activity in.
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clarity8796 wrote: »Great tiny habit @clarity8796 reading is something easy to neglect.
Hmm, I haven’t decided what habit I want to work on this month, but I love the Seinfeld strategy, like my one word journal habit I started about this time last year. I’m almost finished with my second journal.
I love to read but somehow lose track of that being something that I want to do and instead spend time on my phone which is something I don’t want to do.
Journaling is great!! I went to this creativity thing in September 2018 and she challenged me to do something based on Morning Pages. You just write three pages a day of very stream of consciousness types of things.., does not matter what it is, just put the words down.
At that time I was sure that my new notebook would join other unfinished projects and would be another reason that I could beat myself up. But somehow, three years later, I am still going and I’m on notebook number 13. I’ve missed two days in that time. There are days where I cut it back to fewer pages, but mostly do the 3.
Congrats on your journal habit @77tes
And whatever habit you choose for this month!
Wow @clarity8796 !! I’m super impressed with your morning pages!! VERY INSPIRING!!
A hearty WELCOME to you💕
Maddie🌸5 -
what a cool intro Denise and Maddie! Thank you.
Also love seeing @clarity8796 and @nebslp ideas for the month. Like @77tes I am not sure what direction or tiny thing I want to work on in Sept. The last few days have been a little stressful so honestly I am leaning in the direction of what Denise said. My watch has the breathe app on it so just adding a 2 minute session and a reminder for it each day seems like something very NON stressful to do. I used to do it last year but stopped for some reason.
SummerjustBREATHE.....7 -
🍄🍁🍂🌾🍄🌾🍂🍁🍄
🍄🍁🍂 SEPTEMBER 🍂🍁🍄
🍄🍁🍂🌾🍄🌾🍂🍁🍄
I read the James Clear article on Seinfeld, and was inspired to re-establish writing in my journal. I like the idea of recording this on an annual calendar, so I have downloaded a 2021/22 academic calendar Looking forward to seeing how I fair with this attempt to restart my Journal writing. I had got very lax over the last month with writing entries.
In September I will ..... write in my journal for 10 minutes every day.
I have just finished writing today's entry.
September:
📝7 -
Okay, I chose my goal for the month - I will sing one song (at least one verse) every day. I really miss singing. More later.7
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Hi everyone! I am Julie, Canadian, and new to this group. I posted in the introductions and hope that the habit I have chosen can be used here (but see you also have a decluttering thread).
I read the James Clear article and found it really helpful. I like the idea of making the tracking of the habit so clear and visual. I have a calendar at the ready!
My daily habit will be to spend 10 minutes every day in a long term commitment to get on top of the many areas of my home that need re-organized and decluttered. This issue weighs on me and causes me anxiety, so a proactive approach to make this a habit will be really rewarding. I can only be successful at this as long as I do 10 minutes every day in September. I’ll share more as I make this happen each day.
Julie5 -
Hi Julie. It's good to see you here. I recommend that you read the threads for previous months. It will spark off a few more ideas of where you want to go next.
I particularly found the July thread useful as it got me started on the Tiny Habits🍄🍁🍂🌾🍄🌾🍂🍁🍄
🍄🍁🍂 SEPTEMBER 🍂🍁🍄
🍄🍁🍂🌾🍄🌾🍂🍁🍄
In September I will ..... write in my journal for > 10 minutes every day.
I have just finished writing today's entry.it is 6:35 am and I am in an optimistic mood. The air outside is still and crisp and the day is awakening.
Despite the restrictions necessitated by living in a global pandemic, life is good. I have the physical, mental, and financial resources to aligned me to meet what ever challenges life throws at me.
It hasn't always been that way, but one has to rise above The trials and tribulations of life, and grasp and celebrate each and every triumph, and look for ways to learn from the pitfalls. Life is much too short to postpone being happy until some future event which may or may not happen.
I chose to start my day with a few little triumphs. A short gratefulness meditation set me up for a good day of promise. I am fulfilling my goal to write for 10 minutes, after which I will walk and do a 10 minutes circuit session to get my body moving.
My plans for the morning are fairly fluid. Just doing the usual things to make life comfortable. This afternoon my Shakespeare study group is having its first meeting of the New semester. We will be observing sensible Covid precautions. I'm looking forward to discussing Richard II.
It's a good day to have a good day. We humans are creatures of habit. Creating structure in one's life is a self discipline, and will often keep one from feeling aimless by filling each day with a series of trials to be celebrated.
September:
📝📝
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Hi all, I posted an intro in the welcome page a couple of weeks ago, and have been successful in my 3 first steps...and am getting a handle on my food (tracking, calories, and starting to look at macros too). I have lost a little over 5 lbs and I use Friday as my "official" weigh in day.
What is missing entirely is any kind of activity component - but not sure I am ready to commit to that! At least not yet
I have found some daily plans on the MFP app, plus some daily devotionals on my Bible app that focus on weight and food management - so that is my goal for September, to complete 1 day of a plan everyday & stay caught up. I did one for September 1st; so far, so good!
Thanks for setting this up!7 -
Daily plan completed for today - and I made a little chart! Love having the visual, thank you.6
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Breathe
1✅2✅ Also noticed that I can use this at bedtime or the middle of the night to relax and get to sleep better. Win win7 -
TerriRichardson112 wrote: »Hi Julie. It's good to see you here. I recommend that you read the threads for previous months. It will spark off a few more ideas of where you want to go next.
I particularly found the July thread useful as it got me started on the Tiny Habits🍄🍁🍂🌾🍄🌾🍂🍁🍄
🍄🍁🍂 SEPTEMBER 🍂🍁🍄
🍄🍁🍂🌾🍄🌾🍂🍁🍄In September I will ..... write in my journal for > 10 minutes every day.
I have just finished writing today's entry.it is 6:35 am and I am in an optimistic mood. The air outside is still and crisp and the day is awakening.
Despite the restrictions necessitated by living in a global pandemic, life is good. I have the physical, mental, and financial resources to aligned me to meet what ever challenges life throws at me.
It hasn't always been that way, but one has to rise above The trials and tribulations of life, and grasp and celebrate each and every triumph, and look for ways to learn from the pitfalls. Life is much too short to postpone being happy until some future event which may or may not happen.
I chose to start my day with a few little triumphs. A short gratefulness meditation set me up for a good day of promise. I am fulfilling my goal to write for 10 minutes, after which I will walk and do a 10 minutes circuit session to get my body moving.
My plans for the morning are fairly fluid. Just doing the usual things to make life comfortable. This afternoon my Shakespeare study group is having its first meeting of the New semester. We will be observing sensible Covid precautions. I'm looking forward to discussing Richard II.
It's a good day to have a good day. We humans are creatures of habit. Creating structure in one's life is a self discipline, and will often keep one from feeling aimless by filling each day with a series of trials to be celebrated.
September:
📝📝
Hi @TerriRichardson112 — that much reading online or on my phone is really counter to my purposeful intention to spend less time online. I am getting started on some significant life changes and my past practice has been to bury myself kn learning about the theory (of habits, intentions, or goals, for example). Your suggested approach is too much for me at this time as it would have me spending more time studying the topic than practicing an approach. I have read Atomic Habits and other theories of intentional behaviour modification. My “habit” is to spend too much of my time in the thinking and not enough in the doing. I did spend an hour yesterday and 45 minutes today working through one of my home offices to deal withe the books and print publications.
I think it would be great to have been part of all this as you were all learning about it, and during the time when all the interesting posts of the past months were made. You seem like a really great small group who all know each other very well. I genuinely wish you all well.
I’ll step away from this group now.6 -
Julie. Hang in there. You have a great start going. I don’t do a lot of homework either. 🤣🤣🤣😵💫🤣🤣🤣3
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@jamcnewman I hope you stay and get a feel for the group for a little longer. I read your post and can relate to the anxiety of having many things I want done (decluttered, organized, created) and often feel like I’m in a perpetual state of learning about the best way to do one thing or another. It’s the execution part that I resist. You said it so well … “I spend too much time in the thinking and not enough in the doing”. I was excited to have you join, so I hope you will give us a chance to get to know you better. It looks like you’ve got a great start on your decluttering goal already👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
@Ladybug8882021 congrats on completing day 2 of your plan😁 I hope you’ll share your chart with us sometime.
@SummerSkier Deep breathing helps me feel more centered and actually slows my heart rate. Add the sound of ocean waves and I almost fall asleep sometimes🥱 (and maybe drool a little😬😂)
@TerriRichardson112 Journal writing can be so enlightening and puts things into perspective for me when I do it. I’m not consistent though…. Again, execution troubles!🙄
@77tes Enjoy 🎵 🎶 🎼☺️5 -
Thanks so much for your encouragement @SummerSkier and @nebslp 💐💐
It is all very overwhelming today. But, a successful day nonetheless. Previously, I would have just given in to the stress eating. Practicing a different approach and learning from that every day. Will stick with this as I know how great it felt to meet my UAC targets today and to get a constructive start on my office.
Exhausted and heading to bed.
Julie
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@jamcnewman <> Me and my big feet!!! I was just so pleased to see you here. 🤦🏼♀️ Sometimes my enthusiasm runs away with me. No pressure was intended. We all have our own way of working.
I applaud your desire to limit your time on line. It can be such a time-waster.
You have made such a good start on your September Habit, and I appreciate, and understand the hard work involved. I'm also in the throes of sorting through old papers and suchlike. It's a long and difficult process.
I hope you decide to stick with us.
Terri
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🍄🍁🍂🌾🍄🌾🍂🍁🍄
🍄🍁🍂 SEPTEMBER 🍂🍁🍄
🍄🍁🍂🌾🍄🌾🍂🍁🍄
In September I will ..... write in my journal for > 10 minutes every day.
2 Sept:I woke up this morning with a poem going through my head. This hasn't happened for quite some time so I got up and started writing.
6.36am:
I sit on the threshold of a brand new day.
In my mind tranquility is holding sway.
I count my blessings and smile to see
that I feel happy, fulfilled and free.
I relish the peace of my settled space,
cocooned with pen and book in my writing place.
My thoughts awake in my tousled head,
gradually coalescing into conscious thread,
with rhythm and rhyme they ebb and flow
as the lines on the page begin to grow.
My muse and I, in perfect accord,
as we mine my creative hoard.
(C) 2021 - Terri Richardson
A poem is always such a wonderful start to my day. How can one possibly be despondent after such a boost to the heart and soul. My day is set fair. Let's see what I can make of it.
7.01am
September:
📝📝📝
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Hello @jamcnewman I'm glad to see you're staying with us 🌼🌺🌼🌺🌼
I only joined this group in July and have been silently working on my tiny habits routine. I started off with a big list, full of good intentions, but whittled it back to the basics. I haven't got it set in place yet but that's partly because summertime is less scheduled for me. Starting next week, I'll need to make all the little things more habitual because I'll have more teaching hours. The better sleeping habits have still not been conquered but I do feel more rested.
I've yet to read the Seinfeld article nor have I decided on a thing to focus on doing this month. However, one thing I'll work on is not getting that gritted teeth feeling whenever I hear something I dislike - like Seinfeld! I really don't like him and, I think because the whole of the US seems to love him, have developed a silly abhorrence towards even reading his name 😬 I almost didn't want to click on this month's discussion 🤣 So, yes, this is a silly thing that I need to eliminate from my head...along with all the other things that cause me to squirm.
I'll read the article and pop in later with a 'thing' to work on.
Have a great Friday everyone 💕4 -
O my goodness, I have a million things I could have set as my goal! At least!
Thankfully, I recently retired. All I did for several weeks was start making a "to do" list and adding to it. Fun stuff as well as projects. I executed that part nicely lol. I plan to complete it over the next 2 decades...
I will check out the July thread, thanks @TerriRichardson112 for the tip. I may find things to add to my list, but how to break them down + nudges in the direction of actually doing too hopefully, which of course is key.
But I am in no rush. I have so much weight to lose I will be around for some time...
@jamcnewman - we are both newbies! I have done nothing since joining but spend hours on my phone reading stuff & figuring out the app - please don't judge me 🙃 remember, I am retired! It can be such a rabbit hole, time waster!
@nebsip - how kind of you to care about my chart, but clearly you don't know me - my chart is both ridiculously simple + amateurish - I plan to purchase a desk blotter calendar thingy to replace it with. I may grace you with a picture of that down the road! 😝
Onto September 3rd!6 -
I've decided on my September goal!
🎯 Planks!
I began trying planks in June when I started using a daily exercise app. It took me a while to get the hang of how to do it and, my goodness, to stay up. I watched a 'how to' video to get it right. Having read other people talking about core strength, I know I must work on that and, it seems, that planks are a great thing to do.
So, using a page from the kid's school diary I bought, I took a pic, uploaded it to Canva, removed the wording and created my own page for recording my daily planking.
This is what it looks like.
Let's hope I see some yellows towards the end of the month.7 -
@BodyTalking I simply LOVE it. So easy but so creative... We have so many creative folks here I sometimes have trouble getting my head around it.... that's funny that you dislike Seinfeld. The show was funny but I haven't watched it in probably 20 years or more. I think I got turned off when he was dating what a 16 yo or something?
summerhappyday4everyone4 -
@BodyTalking
@Ladybug8882021
@jamcnewman
I’m delighted (!!!!!!!) that you are all here!
I know it can feel overwhelming - think of all you could do (or look at your list @Ladybug8882021 ) and decide on ONE thing you will commit to doing for the next 7 days.
The next week, keep with that habit if it’s not easy yet. If you’ve “got it”, keep that one & add a new habit to figure out.
Over time they accumulate into better health!!
Common things I see in UAC that discourage folks - and then they leave…
Unrealistic expectation of rate of weight loss
My solution: I gave myself 3 years to lose what I thought would be 59lbs.
Giving up when scale does not move
My solution: I only pay attention to monthly averages. There are SO MANY things that impact our weight.
Also, managing the emotions of a plateau is the BEST preparation for Maintenance…which is one (hopefully) very long plateau! Find other activities that make you happy rather than the scale going down!
Weekends, Celebrations, Vacations
Take the latter two on gradually over years AFTER mastering weekdays…and then weekends. Divide & conquer!
Please forgive our enthusiasm! We have worked hard to develop habits & lose/maintain, and we want this for Everyone!
We’re here for you!
All My Best,
🌸Maddie6 -
In September I will read for 10 minutes every day.5
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@MadisonMolly2017 - what is UAC? 😊
Anyone - is there a way to input someone's username without typing it out?
Thanks team!
PS - I have ordered a desk/wall calendar thingy that also has a place to make notes. I am so stoked for it to come!
Also, completed my plan reading for today. 🙂4 -
@BodyTalking <> 😍😍😍 Your chart.3
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Ladybug8882021 wrote: »@MadisonMolly2017 - what is UAC? 😊
Anyone - is there a way to input someone's username without typing it out?
Thanks team!
PS - I have ordered a desk/wall calendar thingy that also has a place to make notes. I am so stoked for it to come!
Also, completed my plan reading for today. 🙂
@Ladybug8882021
It’s another fabulous group (I’ve been a member just shy of 3.5 years).
You do 3 things a day:
Calories below a goal You Set
Exercise > 20 mins (you decide what counts as exercise)
Track everything you eat/drink
A very supportive group & it works!
Check community—> Challenges for the link. “September Ultimate Accountability Challenge”
When you type in name, about 5 names will show up. I agree. This needs to be fixed!!!
🌸Maddie5 -
cormierannie wrote: »In September I will read for 10 minutes every day.
Fantastic @cormierannie !! I’ve really been enjoying my reading most nights before I fall asleep! Good luck!
🌸Maddie3 -
clarity8796 wrote: »
@MadisonMolly2017 - Thank you for the welcome! I joined awhile back, but always forget to look at groups on MFP. Going to try to change that.
Hey @clarity8796 !!
Didn’t mean to leave you out!!!
If you click the staton top right corner of a discussion, it will show up on main page if you click the star near top.
Otherwise, I agree, it can take forever to re-find them! It even tells you if there have been any new posts since you last looked!!
I’m glad you are with us!
🌸Maddie3 -
Thanks @MadisonMolly2017 for the explanation & invite - when I am ready to tackle daily exercise I will look into it. The other 2 commitments I am doing faithfully for a whole 2 weeks now. 😜4
