It's the Little Things

These past few months have been so challenging. They were full of new challenges, transitions, and responsibilities. In three months I graduated with my Master's degree, broke up with my fiancee, planned to move out-of-state, job hunted, bought and fixed up a house, worked multiple summer jobs, and began planning an international trip. There were many times I should have sought out social and professional support, as I felt depressed, overwhelmed, and unsure of my life path. As the school year began (I teach middle school), I felt overwhelmed by the routine, the additional responsibilities this year, and the challenge of working with energetic 11-13 year olds. I felt stressed and depressed, instead of blessed.

I envy my friend. He is equally busy, and yet he manages to fit in work, exercise, friends, church and community service, rest, reading, and more. Better yet, he is able to be mindful and intentional in his life, as well as happy and calm. My goal is to learn how he does it all and to become like him. He reassured me that in a few years I would have it all down pat. I hope he is right.

My first habit I wanted to develop was to read my scriptures (holy books) daily. I asked my friend to be my accountability partner and I challenged him to a contest. We would read our scriptures (I particularly enjoy the Bible and Book of Mormon) on a daily basis for a minimum of 10 minutes a day. Those have been a source of inspiration and meditation for me. Our goal was consistency. We started that goal two or three weeks ago, and I haven't missed a day since. Part of it is because I am competitive (not talented, mind you, but competitive). In schools we teach about doing cooperative learning instead of competition, but from personal experience, I do better with goals if it is a competitive endeavor. :) I really want to win! I am ready to expand to 15 minutes a day. Baby steps.

I use the app "Way of Life" to keep track of my goals. I use the "lite" version on purpose. Not only do a save a few dollars by not upgrading, but research has shown that it is better to limit goals to 1-3 in order to maximize success. It holds me accountable to see if I did my goal that day or not. I just push red for didn't do it or green for did do it. Simple and easy. It takes 30 seconds a day from my life. It works.

Now that we have that habit developed, I am looking at developing an exercise habit. That is a much harder task because of the irregularity of my weekly schedule. More on that in future blog posts. The other goal on my "Way of Life" app is to focus on doing something nice for someone else every day. When I do that, I am much happier.

There you have it. Identify the small things that will make a big difference and start small. Try 5 or 10 minutes a day and then build up from there. Invite a friend to join you in the goal. Hold yourself accountable and mark your progress. Make sure it is a habit before you add additional goals.

I would like to say my life is perfect now, but it is not. Many times I still go to bed too late, spend too much time on Facebook, spend too much money, and make short-sighted decisions. However, I am gradually learning how to take control of my life and to develop the habits of excellence that will help me fulfill my potential and lead a purposeful life. One habit at a time.

Fresh Starts Begin Now

Last year I decided I was opposed to New Year's Resolutions. Why do I have to wait until January to begin again and to implement my goals? What if I wanted to implement them at June 27 at 3:25 pm? Wasn't that as good (or as arbitrary) a time as any to begin another attempt to change? Yes, I decided, I could set goals whenever I wanted. I did set some goals I wanted to implement for 2014, but I purposefully started the last two weeks of December to get a "running start" on them. It worked for me.

I think that the New Year can be a great chance for people to begin anew, but it certainly is not the only opportunity. For some, August and the new school year is a fresh start. For others, it is July 1 or whenever the start of the new fiscal year is for their organization. Mondays are the start to a new week and new goals. Every day, every hour, and every minute is the perfect opportunity to begin again. For me, April is a time of contemplation, as it marks the anniversary of when I finished my missionary service. I take time to review what I have accomplished and who I have become in the time since my service. I also make note of "course corrections" or changes I need to make in the upcoming year.

When is your fresh start? When do you like to begin anew?

Why Should I Read Your Blog?

Since I was young I have been fascinated with the idea of behavior change. At age 10 I was inspired by Benjamin Franklin's attempts to become perfect in thirteen areas. In middle school I created sticker charts and tracked 10 goals, which included exercising, practicing the piano and French horn, reading my scriptures, and showering (yes, that was a goal). Like Mary Poppins, I managed to be practically perfect...but only during the two weeks of Winter Break when I didn't have to go to school, do homework, attend youth group, or do anything else besides strive for perfection. Alas, if I didn't have to work, I would have time to become perfect.


In high school I would set goals for church, which included being kinder and more patient with my siblings. I would also read all of the self-help books I could get my hands on, on topics such as time management and organization. In college I loved my class on behavior change theories. During my full-time Mormon missionary service in Peru, I would create goals every six weeks and monitor them weekly. My companion and I discovered that we would be successful in some goals and completely fail in others. I continue to set goals; sometimes I fail and sometimes I succeed. I continue to learn a lot in the process.


My purpose in keeping this blog is multifold. As I reflect upon my own life experiences, I will share stories and insights that might prove useful to others in their quests to improve, to progress, and to live life to the fullest. I will also include insights from books and other sources that have helped me in my understanding and personal journey. Finally, this blog provides for me accountability, an important aspect of behavior change. By knowing I will have to hold myself accountable to an online audience, I will increase my chances of successfully meeting my goals. So, let the learning begin!