October! My absolute BEST month of the year… my own personal “new year” … the real beginning of autumn… a bridge between summer and winter... mushroom season… time to harvest the grapes (I read that it will be an excellent vintage this year here in Italy… CHEERS!)… A few days ago it was in the 80’s. Today the rains started. By the end of the month, it will be seriously cold (my opinion formed over 35 years lived in Mediterranean and sub-tropical climes)… it will probably be in the 40’s, and I realize that if you live in the North, you might consider the 40’s warm!
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about habits and how one forms (or gets rid of) them. (Do they form themselves?) I feel like I have fallen imperceptibly into new habits as life progresses (sitting at my desk for too long glued to my computer, not exercising enough [can “not” doing something be a habit???], jumping from one thing to another without finishing the first thing). As I have fallen into new habits, I have fallen out of some old ones that I realize I miss. One habit I would like to recuperate is regular writing that is not related to my teaching work. It used to be that I would feel naked if I left the house without pen and paper! Now I can never find my pocket journal, when I want it. Today I found myself in Florence with nothing to write with (or on)! I used to love to write Haikus or other reflections on the world around me. Words would appear magically in my head that expressed the moment of the experience. I have books and drawers and computer files FILLED with that writing. Not many pieces have a recent date.
So, since I will shortly be starting the next year of my life, I am making a “new year’s resolution”… more like a “new year’s personal challenge” (even if I never make resolutions on January 1st, probably because I know I never keep them because I think that, deep down, I really hate routine and habits!… let’s see what happens this month!)
My challenge to myself is to write in my blog everyday for the month of October…. I’m very curious to see if I will do it! Maybe someone out there can complain to me if I miss a day (and if you enjoy what I write!). [I’ve read this is one strategy to make habits stick: public accountability. Or, since I don’t like the word “accountability,” I think if it as a social strategy—commit to others and invite collaborators… So I am inviting you to be my collaborators… to share any thoughts that come to mind as you read these lines this month.]
I thought I would also share my “steps” for building habits, one each day until I get to the end of the list. (I do have a list to start with but I suspect that I will (re)invent and rethink it as the month goes on.) I know there is a lot of writing already out there on the subject of habits, and I have read much of it! So I am sure these are ideas I have culled from multiple sources. My wondering is, how will this list work for me? Does it work for you? So here goes… my step # 1 for October 1:
That’s it for today… I am off to think about where I really am right now. Will you join me? I’ll add another step tomorrow, and another on Saturday, and so on... I would love to hear your thoughts on habits… (on the subject of October, or anything else in the posts), so I invite you to add comments to this blog, or write to me at ktchr4kate@gmail.com or post on Facebook at Kate Kiss Coaching.
Happy October! Happy autumn! Happy habits! … HAPPY WRITING!!
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about habits and how one forms (or gets rid of) them. (Do they form themselves?) I feel like I have fallen imperceptibly into new habits as life progresses (sitting at my desk for too long glued to my computer, not exercising enough [can “not” doing something be a habit???], jumping from one thing to another without finishing the first thing). As I have fallen into new habits, I have fallen out of some old ones that I realize I miss. One habit I would like to recuperate is regular writing that is not related to my teaching work. It used to be that I would feel naked if I left the house without pen and paper! Now I can never find my pocket journal, when I want it. Today I found myself in Florence with nothing to write with (or on)! I used to love to write Haikus or other reflections on the world around me. Words would appear magically in my head that expressed the moment of the experience. I have books and drawers and computer files FILLED with that writing. Not many pieces have a recent date.
So, since I will shortly be starting the next year of my life, I am making a “new year’s resolution”… more like a “new year’s personal challenge” (even if I never make resolutions on January 1st, probably because I know I never keep them because I think that, deep down, I really hate routine and habits!… let’s see what happens this month!)
My challenge to myself is to write in my blog everyday for the month of October…. I’m very curious to see if I will do it! Maybe someone out there can complain to me if I miss a day (and if you enjoy what I write!). [I’ve read this is one strategy to make habits stick: public accountability. Or, since I don’t like the word “accountability,” I think if it as a social strategy—commit to others and invite collaborators… So I am inviting you to be my collaborators… to share any thoughts that come to mind as you read these lines this month.]
I thought I would also share my “steps” for building habits, one each day until I get to the end of the list. (I do have a list to start with but I suspect that I will (re)invent and rethink it as the month goes on.) I know there is a lot of writing already out there on the subject of habits, and I have read much of it! So I am sure these are ideas I have culled from multiple sources. My wondering is, how will this list work for me? Does it work for you? So here goes… my step # 1 for October 1:
- Notice where you are and be fully there.
That’s it for today… I am off to think about where I really am right now. Will you join me? I’ll add another step tomorrow, and another on Saturday, and so on... I would love to hear your thoughts on habits… (on the subject of October, or anything else in the posts), so I invite you to add comments to this blog, or write to me at ktchr4kate@gmail.com or post on Facebook at Kate Kiss Coaching.
Happy October! Happy autumn! Happy habits! … HAPPY WRITING!!
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