This November I Will...
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themedalist
Posts: 3,212 Member
Happy November!
A new month? A new habit! What's your goal for this month and what's your plan for achieving that goal? Is there something new you'd like to focus on this month or does October's habit just need a bit more fine-tuning before it's a regular part of your daily routine? Now is the time to select a goal, specify a plan, and get to work. Let's make our goals a reality!
Think small. What can you do in 5 to 20 minutes a day? Repetition is the key to all habits and small repetitions are the most likely to succeed and become habits because they don't require much motivation, willpower, or time.
Check-in daily, weekly, or as often as it works for you, but let us know how you are progressing! We want to support and encourage you.
If you are joining us for the first time, welcome! We are glad you are here. Let us know what your goal is and how we can help. And if you're joining us midway through the month, no need to wait for December. Start today and you'll be that much closer to achieving what you want. If you're looking for ideas, our list of previous challenges may come in handy.
Since we spent some time in October exploring how important triggers and rewards are to the habit-forming process, I thought I'd add these into our framing questions:
Try to frame your goal along these lines:
1. My goal for this month (This November 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 such as a fist pump, saying "I'm awesome", or a star/check mark on your calendar help cement the habit you are trying to build.)
6. What help do you need from us?
7. What does success look like to you at the end of November?
Let’s dig in! What goal and new habit do you want to create for yourself this month?
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This November, I'm bringing back the dinner salad. I love the efficiency of a green salad. Open a leafy bag, toss in some veggies, and PRESTO! Salad made. I really like salads, but I stop having them in the summer when there's so many fruits and veggies around. Time to bring back the salad!
1. This November I will have a daily salad with dinner
2. Small actions? Add salad fixings to the grocery list. Get a good variety of easy to wash, maybe pre-cut veggies
3. Trigger or cue? After I walk into the kitchen to start making dinner, I will make the salad first.
4. How often? Every day is not realistic. Shooting for 4 times a week.
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? Saying/thinking "I'm awesome".
6. What help do you need from us? If you have store-bought, low-calorie salad dressings you like, please share!
7. What does success look like to you the end of November? That it won't feel quite right to have dinner and not have a salad!
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Yay! I'm excited to get going on another month with you all. I'm going to aim smaller this time with a few tiny goals:
My goal for this month -- This November:- When I wake up, I will pour myself a glass of water.
- When (or before!) I turn on the television, I will set up my paints.
- When I lie down to sleep, I will read a sentence in a book.
I'm aiming for daily!
I'll keep a log / star chart!
6. What help do you need from us?
7. What does success look like to you at the end of November?
My real longterm goal is to balance equal focus on the quality of my life, health, and work. The check-ins are helpful!
This is awfully difficult to define! I have real tangible goals -- like finishing the book I'm making, reading more, and losing weight -- but I think for this, maybe it just makes sense to say "as perfect an attendance as possible" to these tiny goals.
I'm looking forward to tackling November with you all!4 -
themedalist wrote: »6. What help do you need from us? If you have store-bought, low-calorie salad dressings you like, please share!
Ok, I love salad so I'm your girl! I just discovered this dressing and it's fantastic: https://www.litehousefoods.com/products/tzatziki-ranch-greek-yogurt-dressing
Absolutely no taste sacrifice.
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@ themedalist...good for you. My favorite low cal dressing is Kraft Lite Raspberry Vinaigrette.1
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1. This November I will read from a book daily. I need to get off the computer and phone and pick up a book.
2. Small actions? I will read for 10 minutes before bed every night.
3. Trigger or cue? Before turning off the light I will read.
4. How often? Nightly
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? A new book at the end of November.
6. What help do you need from us? Book suggestions
7. What does success look like to you the end of November? Success would be completing at the minimum one book. I hope to say I read more.4 -
@PinkyPan1 That's a really fun goal! I just finished reading an excellent book "The Kitchen House" by Kathleen Grissom. I couldn't put it down but also had to have a box of Kleenex handy. Our book club is going to discuss "The Silent Sister" by Diane Chamberlain. It's is a riveting kinda/sorta mystery. It was really good and had lots of twists and turns, but the author drug out the ending a bit too much, IMHO. And then there's my all time favorite series..."Outlander" by Diane Gabaldon. I want to reread the entire series someday, or at least the first 4-5 books. After that things changed a lot and it wasn't as interesting. So many books...so little time (sigh). Keep us posted as to what you're reading and how you like it?!?4
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@gojolida and @themedalist Great goals, ladies! Tiny goals are more doable and tend to lead to bigger and better things because it's easier to be more consistent with small things. I'm not the main cook in the family, but I'm sure my husband wouldn't complain if I made a salad every day. He's the veggie eater in the family and I need to follow suit. Thanks for the idea, Denise.
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Hi, I seem to be hogging the feed (lol), but this will be my last post here tonight!
I have had a phobia about getting on the floor to do yoga and classical stretch exercises or anything down there since my knee replacements 11 years ago and really struggle with it, but I'm going to overcome my fear by just doing it. I am tired of letting fear stop me from doing what I want to do.
1. This November I will conquer my fear of the floor so that I can increase my strength through floor exercises.
2. The action is: I will get down on the floor to do a floor exercise of some kind for at least 5 minutes.
3. Trigger: when my morning TV show ends I will go upstairs to my workout area
4. How often?: daily if I am at home
5. My reward will be to open up HabitBull and give myself a green circle and jot a note about the amount of time and activity that I did.
6. Hearing about your successes and struggles helps me realize I'm not alone in my quest for healthy living and will keep me more accountable.
7. Being successful will mean no more fear of getting down and up from the floor, and I will be stronger because I will have done floor exercises daily in addition to the standing ones I've been doing.
I'm excited, and I'm going to do day 1 right now (I was at the dentist this morning). I know it sounds crazy, but I'm really nervous!!!6 -
Great Goals everyone!
@themedalist I did a 100 days of salads challenge a long time ago and got tons of ideas on Pinterest. even for light homemade dressings too. Good luck!
@PinkyPan1 I love a reading challenge. What I do is go to my public library on the New and Popular section and I look for books by size, and like that I have found really cool short books to read. If I don't like it I put it return in. Some I have read recently are The Gentle Art of Sweedish Death Cleaning, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, and It's all Small Stuff and The 5 Love Languages.
@gojolida those are small achievable goals. I am confident you can make it! I start my day with a glass of water too and it makes all the difference in my day.
@nebslp good for your for wanting to overcome that fear. Please be careful! Keep up posted.
1. My goal for this month (This November I will...") I will make time for exercise. Now that I have started working I seem to be not making time for that, lazy the rest of the day.
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal: Plan! Once I know my schedule I will make a plan, calendar, or just get home and change into my exercise clothes.
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: put on my exercise clothes
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible) As often as I can. Sometimes I work nights, so I will exercise earlier in the day.
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? Rewards are tricky so I will give myself credit for doing it.
6. What help do you need from us? Support as always. Thank you.
7. What does success look like to you at the end of November? I will feel better about myself. I will have some control over my health and hopefully look better if I lose some pounds.
Good luck everyone!
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1. This November I will read from a book daily. I need to get off the computer and phone and pick up a book.
6. What help do you need from us? Book suggestions
7. What does success look like to you the end of November? Success would be completing at the minimum one book. I hope to say I read more.
Great goal for November, @PinkyPan1 . One book I just loved is The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown. I loved that book and was so inspired by it. I think you would enjoy it too!
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Great goals for this month, @gojolida. Habits don’t have to be big in order to have an impact. And small habit changes are much more likely to stick!2 -
Hi, I seem to be hogging the feed (lol), but this will be my last post here tonight!
I have had a phobia about getting on the floor to do yoga and classical stretch exercises or anything down there since my knee replacements 11 years ago and really struggle with it, but I'm going to overcome my fear by just doing it. I am tired of letting fear stop me from doing what I want to do.
1. This November I will conquer my fear of the floor so that I can increase my strength through floor exercises.
2. The action is: I will get down on the floor to do a floor exercise of some kind for at least 5 minutes.
3. Trigger: when my morning TV show ends I will go upstairs to my workout area
4. How often?: daily if I am at home
5. My reward will be to open up HabitBull and give myself a green circle and jot a note about the amount of time and activity that I did.
6. Hearing about your successes and struggles helps me realize I'm not alone in my quest for healthy living and will keep me more accountable.
7. Being successful will mean no more fear of getting down and up from the floor, and I will be stronger because I will have done floor exercises daily in addition to the standing ones I've been doing.
I'm excited, and I'm going to do day 1 right now (I was at the dentist this morning). I know it sounds crazy, but I'm really nervous!!!
Fantastic goal for November, @nebslp. Taking on something we are afraid of adds a whole other element to the habit building process, but you can do this! Not only will you gain strength and flexibility this month, you’ll have knocked out one fear’s ability to affect and control what you do. I’m looking forward to your updates!2 -
prgirl39mfp wrote: »Great Goals everyone!
1. My goal for this month (This November I will...") I will make time for exercise. Now that I have started working I seem to be not making time for that, lazy the rest of the day.
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal: Plan! Once I know my schedule I will make a plan, calendar, or just get home and change into my exercise clothes.
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: put on my exercise clothes
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible) As often as I can. Sometimes I work nights, so I will exercise earlier in the day.
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? Rewards are tricky so I will give myself credit for doing it.
6. What help do you need from us? Support as always. Thank you.
7. What does success look like to you at the end of November? I will feel better about myself. I will have some control over my health and hopefully look better if I lose some pounds.
Good luck everyone!
@prgirl39mfp, you have a lot of changes in your life right now with going back to work and juggling work and family obligations. I think regular exercise this month will help you deal with the stress. Plus, you have a long history of exercising daily. It’s part of your life and it’s part of who you are. I think it’s good to reconnect with that part of you. When we are in the middle of so much change, maintaining the constants in our life is even more important. They remind us that not everything is in flux. Great goal for November!2 -
I’ve decided to modify my goal for November.
I LOVE coffee. I look forward to my morning coffee immensely and start thinking about it the night before. But I’m also careful not to have too much coffee as the caffeine affects me. I switch to tea in the afternoon and that works out nicely.
Unfortunately, “too much coffee“ it too squishy and poorly defined to be relied upon. I don’t want caffeine to affect my blood pressure and I think that it is. I don’t want to give up coffee, I just want less caffeine. There’s no need to wait until December to make this my focus. Coffee is a morning habit, dinner salads are an evening habit. Normally, I wouldn’t try to change two things at once because new habits take time and focus, but both of these habits combined will take me about 5 minutes, so it’s not a huge undertaking to do both. I now have an AM habit and a PM habit in the making!
1. This November I will reduce my caffeine consumption by 50%
2. Small actions? Use 50% decaf and 50% regular when setting up the coffee maker the night before.
3. Trigger or cue? Place the decaf coffee right next to the regular coffee in the cupboard so I see it and don’t forget it.
4. How often? Every. Single. Morning.
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? Saying/thinking "It still tastes like coffee.”
6. What help do you need from us? Any decaf coffee recommendations?
7. What does success look like to you the end of November? I will still feel like myself, still be fully awake and functioning, just without the caffeine edginess.5 -
I am trying to make every day special. To log my calories diligently and be under my calorie goal. To be more active during the day, and be mindful of getting the rest I need. I don't drink sugary drinks and don't have coffee after 8:30 a.m. most days. My AM habit is to roll out of bed, have a cup of coffee, have my oatmeal and banana and the supplements -- fish oil, glucosamine chondroitin and B12. Working on lowering my blood pressure through drinking herbal teas and exercise.7
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@themedalist I've quit coffee before, and switched to decaf before, and I do it all the time! Once you wean yourself off the habit, you start to recognize when you're not feeling like yourself re: anxiety and restlessness due to caffeine! I support you!! (And decaf tastes the same and still has a little caffeine, so great plan!)
@PinkyPan1 I have a similar Tiny Habit as part off my daily routine and slow and steady, we will finish our books! what are you reading now, and what are some of your favorites? i love talking books and making recommendations!
@nebslp @prgirl39mfp @TKlepac Such great goals for your wellbeing!!
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Okay, to prevent getting into the hole with my grading, I decided to make that my November challenge. The thing I need to do prioritize doing the essays instead of checking email or grading smaller assignments.
1. This November I will stay current with my essay grading.
2. Small action? Every time I open my computer, I will grade an essay first.
3. Trigger or cue? When the Canvas page loads, I will click the essays first.
4. How often? Every weekday 9-5
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing the habit? Give myself a star and a fist pump.
6. What help do you need from us? Be my cheer leaders.
@themedalist , I drink regular coffee in morning, but I take a thermos of decaf for the rest of the day. I can't say it tastes the same, but I drink Yuban decaf. However, people's coffee preferences vary so much, I don't know that you'll like it. One suggestion is to buy small cans and/or store in refrigerator because decaf doesn't have as long a shelf life.
@TKlepac, sounds like a plan. I really like logging to keep me accountable. I used to like closing my MFP diary and getting that "in 5 weeks..." projected weight loss message. That worked as a reward for me for years! I used to record the message in my food notes so I could compare it. Good luck.2 -
@PinkyPan1 , I love your goal for November! And I love your reward! Sounds fun! My daughter's and I started reading (sort of a mini book club) at the beginning of 2018, and it has really been a delightful addition to our lives!
@prgirl39mfp , fitting in exercise when starting a job, is always a challenge, so good goal!
@gojolida , starting the day with a glass of water is a great idea. Then painting and reading - good for body, mind, and soul!4 -
@77tes thanks for the support. Good luck to you as well. You use Canvas? As a parent it can be so overwhelming getting all those notifications. LOL!
@themedalist thanks. And good luck with lowering your coffee intake. I know that is a tough one.
@TKlepac good for you! Making every day special is a great goal! Your plan is doable.2 -
@prgirl39mfp , I KNOW exactly what you mean about Canvas notifications.
I had the same problem when I first started using it. You can change the settings on notifications, so you only get certain notifications. Here is a link about it: https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/doc-10624 2
