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Thursday, January 14, 2021

A New Chance for Good Habits

I long ago realized that it was pointless for me to make new year's resolutions, both because they're so easily broken and because the start of the new year, like any measure of time, is largely arbitrary. Over the past decade or so, I've had more luck with building good habits, and while that practice can start any time, sometimes an artificial marker like starting a new calendar year can feel like as good a time as any to look at the habits I've been building and make adjustments. So for this Three on Thursday, I'm linking up with Carole and friends to look at strengthening some habits I've made and working on a new one.

1. Getting in my 10,000 steps every day
Much like the start of the new year, the 10K milestone is someone arbitrary. My goal is to keep my body moving and to aim for at least 10,000 steps a day, as measured by my Fitbit. When the pandemic started and we were all staying at home, I found that I not only looked forward to getting out to exercise every day (because it was my one chance to leave the house) but that the daily physical activity did a huge amount toward relieving my stress and anxiety. I have tried to get out for a walk or a run every day, with working from home giving me more flexibility because I'm not running to and from work and home and school. I can take my "lunch break" whenever I want, as long as I'm around for my twice-weekly team meetings, and that's been enabling me to keep this practice up. Over the last 10 months or so, there have certainly been days I didn't hit the mark because I was feeling under the weather or had hurt something, but in 2020 I averaged 13,622 steps daily, and as of yesterday, I'm on a 107-day streak of 10,000 steps per day or more. What matters to me more than those numbers is how I feel, which is less stressed, stronger, and less anxious. This is a habit I want to make permanent if I can, so when things return to "normal," I will have to examine my schedule and figure out where to fit it in.

2. Daily journaling
Another practice I started near the start of the pandemic was a (nearly) daily reflection in my journal. I missed a few days in the first several months, but now I've gotten into the swing of things and it's become a cherished daily habit. I recently made a slight change to this habit that's made it an easier one to keep going. I know many of you start out your day with your journal, but for me it works best to do my daily entry at night so I can reflect on the day that just was. For much of last year I was doing this right before bed, and often I felt like I needed to do it quickly so I could get as much time as possible to read before turning in for the night. But I've now started writing a bit earlier in the evening, and that's given me more time to write and really reflect. Rainbow also enjoys reading before bed, and lately she's been bringing her book into our room so she can hang out with us. That means I can't turn on the TV yet, so I figured it would be the perfect time to pull out the journal. It is working really well, and I can't believe I didn't think of doing it months ago.

3. Charity knitting
You may remember that one of my 21 in 2021 items is to knit at least five items for charity, and in general I want to make it a habit this year to regularly knit items to donate. The sisterhood of my synagogue has been collecting hats, scarves, mittens, gloves, socks, etc., so now I have a place I can donate and no excuse for not doing it. I've got a little pile of items all ready to go:


I knit the two hats on the left a couple of years ago, and they've just been sitting in my stash. Then there are two pairs of socks I knit for Rainbow that she's outgrown, and they hardly look like they've been warm and are both very sturdy. Finally there's the hat and mittens set I knit last month. After last month's stash reorganization, I have a ton of partial skeins that will be perfect for hats and mittens, plus I have a big bag of sock yarn scraps that would make fun scrappy socks, so using those up for charity items will both be doing a good deed and helping to clear out some space in my stash.

Finally, although this isn't so much a new habit as a bit of a new tradition, I've been trying to make myself a cup of tea to end the day during the week. By the time I pick Rainbow up from school, get her settled with a snack, and clean out her lunch stuff, it's usually around 3:30, so I make a cup of tea that is usually cooled off enough to sip through the last hour of the workday. I have always been a tea drinker, but as I've been able to stomach coffee again, I've been drinking less. Since we've been home, however, I've been drinking more as a kind of treat. I've ordered several varieties of loose tea from Plum Deluxe, both black/caffeinated and herbal, and I have several infusers I use. I even cleaned out a shelf of my spice cabinet so that it's now almost totally devoted to teas! My current favorite is Spice of Life Hot Cinnamon Spice -- it's the perfect warming thing to sip on a damp, cold day. If you'd like to give it or any of their teas a try, I can offer you this referral code: REFZMJXKFEWFA (full disclosure: I get free tea if you order a certain amount -- but feel free not to use it; I think their teas are wonderful and would recommend them even if I didn't get anything from referring you!).

11 comments:

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  2. I notice, occasionally, that some of my most intentional practices can slip toward 'check the box' if I'm not paying attention. So wise to step back and subtly shift your journaling time. I loved reading how your afternoon routine became a ritual with the addition of tea! One of our favorites is Stash Tea's Licorice Spice.

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    1. I will fully admit that your Fika time was influential!

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  3. I like that stack of knitted things to donate! I think they will be welcome and much loved! And I have been enjoying a cup of Trader Joe's Winter Blend... but thank you for the suggestion of the spice tea!

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  4. I love your commitment to steps and feeling good, your charity knitting, and how you've made logical rearrangements in your daily life to journal. The image of all of you together at the end of the day is heartwarming! I really love tea and have spent quite a bit of time perusing the Plum Deluxe site and am off now to finalize my order. Thanks for the link and referral code!

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  5. Tea ordered! thank you for the recommendation! Sara cleaned out a few of my favorites and hopefully I'll find some new ones here.

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  6. A nice three-some Sarah! With the Winter I have not been walking (sad face). I don't like the wind or the cold (but I have been working out inside). Walking is such a wonderful thing though. And I miss it. Maybe tomorrow when it is supposed to be warmer. I miss seeing the canal and rivers I walk by. I switched to teas (mostly herbal) at work years ago (I drink coffee at home) and I need to start drinking it again during the day. By late afternoon, I am pouring a glass of wine! LOL

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  7. I love the habits you've chosen to strengthen this year! What a wonderful step streak, too!

    I also love Plum Deluxe teas - I haven't tried their cinnamon yet, but it's on the list. I think my favorite right now is Simply Elderflower - it's herbal and not grassy, which is sometimes my complaint about teas. It's perfect with a spoon of honey :)

    I hope you have a great weekend, Sarah!

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  8. Those sound like great intentions for the new year, Sarah. My sister and I (we live 1200 miles apart) "share" a cup of tea every afternoon. It's a ritual we started many years ago. We both make an afternoon cup of tea at the same time each day. Some days we text or chat while we have our tea, but mostly we just think of each other while we sip. It's so comforting! XO

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  9. You have some good habits already begun for the New Year. A cup of tea at the end of the day sounds lovely. I am also a firm believer in either a walk or some home yoga practice every day. I feel so much better - mentally and physically.

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  10. I especially love that afternoon tea idea. I have blocked off 3-5 pm on weekdays for time to read and journal and catch up on webinars. I can make that a tea time too. Thanks for this lovely idea.

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