Great Discipline Experiment: Day 1
I hate it. I already completely hate it.
However. I’m doing it. I’m making a very concerted effort to do all the things I want/know I should do and avoid all the things I don’t want/know I shouldn’t do. For example:
Things I Want to Do Every Day (in addition to regular stuff like answering emails, keeping up with administrative work, doing laundry, petting the cats, etc)
Journal.
Write every day at the same time.
Practice meditation (daily).
Study some aspect of the dharma (daily).
Exercise (3x per week).
Be incredibly organized; write everything down.
Drink water (at least 1 liter per day).
Take vitamins (it’s ridiculous how much I hate doing this).
Things I Want to NOT Do Every Day
Caffeine
Sugar
Wheat
Be lazy.
Watch TV excessively.
Play word games on my iPhone. For several hours at a pop. (Fie on Wordle…)
Have headaches/medicate for headaches.
Spend too much $$.
OK. There it is. That doesn’t sound crazy, right? Still, I struggle every single day with these things, making bargains with myself, slacking off, ramping up, beating myself up, feeling smug, on and on in an endless, ridiculous cycle. Hey!! Times a-wasting! I’m not getting any younger. If I want to do all the things I long to, order must be instituted. I command it.
Some things I’ve noticed already, even though it’s only 11A on Day One
IT SUCKS!! Also, it’s hard. I have absolutely no idea why.
Yet it also makes me very, very cheerful every time I complete a task.
I keep wanting to give myself treats like snacks or TV every time I finish a task. What’s up with that?!
I’m tempted to ridicule myself for trying this. Little irritating voices keep saying things like “who do you think you are” and “your life isn’t important enough to warrant this kind of seriousness.” What a bunch of BS. Effective, but BS nonetheless.
It’s all about precision: not just saying I want to do x and y and z, but actually scheduling a time to do x and y and z on my calendar. AND THEN DOING X AND Y AND Z at the appointed time. It takes forethought. This is the most significant pre-requisite for being organized.
OK, I’m going to be late for my next appointment with myself if I don’t stop writing, right now. Have already journaled, meditated, studied, and done some writing. Next: proofing MS for upcoming book which is due back at the publisher on Wednesday. So I have today and tomorrow, until the last fedex pickup…
If you want to help me, you can. You can shout encouragement and/or try to take your life seriously and report back.
10 comments
You don’t know how much I admire your willingness to go public with this experiment. Thanks for the inspiration!
Okay, I think I would have made the same list, exactly. If I’d thought of it which I do regularly, and I even make the lists but I haven’t made an Experiment of it. But I like it, so I will try this too. Only I’ll start tomorrow because I have to make the lists first and I already had caffeine and sugar today. I’ll be checking in.
Lynn
Mary and Lynn, thanks for the feedback. I should mention one additional KEY point: I have committed to doing this for ONE MONTH, until June 29. After that, I’ll reassess.
Makes it much more doable, knowing I can can it, guilt-free, after a month.
Lynn, keep me posted! Would love to see your lists, if you feel like sharing.
Good luck!! Will be thinking of both of of you.
Go girl! You can do it!
Okay. I’ll do it for one month too. That will be until June 30 (giving a day or so to slide into it, figure out my schedule, eat the Oreos I’m dying to buy today but maybe won’t, etc.) I’ll post my lists and progress on my blog (address above). Good luck to you too, Susan!
I think this is a fantastic challenge. I also have years of journal entries similar to yours. I am continually vowing to follow a schedule and fit everything in and more often let life get in the way.
I think committing to a month is a great idea. I often wish to do something like that and then wait for things to be more settled, visitors to be gone… the list goes on. Maybe I should follow your lead and set myself a challenge.
Just think …Day 1 almost done and only 29 more days to go!
Thanks, David!
Lynn, we can DO this. Let’s stay in touch about it…
zefreckle, isn’t it amazing how hard it is to create good habits? There have got to be some really good and bad reasons for this. In the meantime, I’m really going to try. For one month. And yes, Day 1 almost done. It’s gone pretty well! But today is Memorial Day and everything is pretty quiet. Not sure how it will go when everything goes back to normal. Not that it should matter…
Started my own version of what you are describing- even a couple of days of following through is amazing. I feel like a super hero! I totally support you in this and will gain inspiration from your willingness to do it out in the public sphere.
Kate, this is awesome. You’re right, even a couple of days is great. I totally support you too and keep me posted!!
Funny that so many mention repeating your frustrations in a journal Susan, I’m jealous of even journaling. I seem to be trapped in the never ending cycle of 5 more minutes of sleep and then running out the door-journal abandoned. Never in my life felt freer than I did the week in CO last year, and the 4 months it stayed with me until the siren call of the snooze button won out. Thank you for living so honestly and letting us see it. And I accept, tonight comes my list, posted here to share with this generous and supportive group. Keep it up!!!
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