Over the past few weeks, I’ve tried implementing habits that would make a positive impact on my life.
In the following article, I’m going to review those habits, what I’ve learned since then, and how I’ve adapted to make them work for me.
What I was doing
I have to tell you, I wasn’t doing much. I had every intention of exercising, meditating, and journaling.
Exercising took place here and there. I have a pull-up bar in the doorway to my bedroom, so I’d do 5 every time I walked by, but there was nothing consistent.
I didn’t have a regular regimen that I followed.
Honestly, meditation didn’t happen much either. There were two things I did that may or may not count. They had meditative properties, but it wasn’t something I consciously thought of as meditation.
I hung in my inversion table for 5-10 minutes. There was no intention of focusing on the breath or anything like that. I sort of just let my mind wander.
I laid on my “neck tension relief” device for 5 minutes. I was more intentional about keeping a steady breath but wasn’t particular about going back to the breath when my mind wandered.
I journaled very inconsistently. Again, nothing regular.
What I found out
I stink at establishing habits, but I also figured out a system that can work for me. Having a two-year-old makes it a little more challenging, but this goes back to my point about being intentional.
I wanted to exercise, journal, and read in the evening, and meditate in the morning. That schedule didn’t work for me. At the end of the day, I a) didn’t have enough time to fit those things in and b) was too tired to do so.
All of these habits are beneficial; I know they are. However, they all take different shapes and forms, and you need to make adjustments based on what will work best for your personality and your schedule.
What I’m doing now
I made a few adjustments to my schedule and in my practice.
- Exercise and meditation take place in the morning – I exercise first, wind down for 5 minutes, and then meditate. Additionally, while I meditate, I have a journaling app open (Journey). If something comes to mind that I would like to explore more, I make a note in that app and then bring my focus back to the breath. Doing both of these activities in the morning holds me accountable and makes sure I get them taken care of. Incorporating the notes provides me with prompts that I can journal on later.
- Journaling and reading in the evening – when I journal, I go through my day. I recount the good and the bad and try to find lessons hidden in everything. Once I’ve gone through the day, I go to those prompts I created that morning and write at length about those. After I journal, I read. Typically it’s for 15-20 minutes. It really all depends on how tired I am.
I am very pleased with this new set up, but it’s still new to me, so I will provide an update in about a month for my next “Personal Reflection” piece.
Conclusion
When we set goals and/or set out to make positive changes in our lives, it’s important to stay malleable.
Just because this thing worked for so and so, doesn’t mean it’ll work the same for you. We are all different, so we need to approach habits with the same attitude. Find out what works for you and stick with it, but don’t be afraid to make adjustments as life changes.
Related reading:
A Systematic Approach to Goals
Jacob Sensible is a financial advisor with decades of experience in the financial planning industry. His journey into finance began out of necessity, stepping up to support his grandfather during a health crisis. This period not only grounded him in the essentials of stock analysis, investment strategies, and the critical roles of insurance and trusts in asset preservation but also instilled a comprehensive understanding of financial markets and wealth management. Jacob can be reached at: jake.sensiba@mygfpartner.com.
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