Friday, September 12, 2008

Habit Challenge Time.

Well, it's been a while, but I need another habit challenge. I have fallen back to my old ways of staying up too late while still waking up early. I feel so sluggish! My new habit? Be in bed by 9:45. Lights out by 10:00.

Do you have a new habit you'd like to form? They say it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. so let's do it together! The challenge will begin Wednesday and go through Tuesday, October 7th. Here are the rules:

1. Your habit must be measurable. For example, "I will get dressed before 12:00 each day." :-) Not, "I will try to get dressed earlier in the day."
2. Your habit must be a small step forward from where you currently are. If you don't currently read the Bible on a regular basis and want to form the habit of reading daily, your habit might be, "I will read at least one chapter or 10 minutes every day." Not , "I will read 5 chapters a day."
3. You must commit to "doing" your habit EVERY DAY. That is the only way this will (hopefully) become a habit. If there are exceptions, name them up front. For example, my commitment to going to bed by 9:45 will not apply to Friday nights.
4. Is it too much to ask that you check in every day to let us know how you are doing? At least check in a couple of times a week. If you would like to check in daily, let me know in the comments and I will post a check-in post every day. I could use the accountability!

If you need some ideas, habits can deal with:
*sleep habits
*time with God/in the Word
*eating habits (One of my past habits was to sit down while eating.)
*relationships (Encouraging your spouse daily would be an example.)
*exercise
*cleaning/de-cluttering your home

I have to admit I am a little scared. I am not completely confident I can do this, but I have to try. I have been dragging the past couple of weeks and I think lack of sleep is the culprit.

Oh, and I have a prize this time! If you successfully "do" your habit for at least 19/21 days, I will write a haiku about you! (Hey, that rhymed!) Yes, can you tell I am sleep-deprived? ;-)

13 comments:

Eric Guel said...

I'm with you, babe. I just don't know what my habit will be. Maybe exercise. :-(

Brandi said...

Remember...start sssllllooowwww :-)

Debs said...

I want to do this, and i think it needs to be to do with reading the bible/learning scripture. I'll get back to you.
Starting this Wednesday, right?
Ok, i'll have a think and pray and come back before then.
Email me if I don't!

Brandi said...

Glad you plan to join us, Debs! You reminded me of a post I was planning to write...it might help give you some direction...but feel free to do whatever!

Anonymous said...

okay.. I'd love to participate in this habit challenge! As you know I'm VeRy busy, so I've neglected Bible reading. I commit to reading/praying/journaling the Bible a total of 10 minutes a day, hopefully at some of that will be in the morning.
This is just what I need to help put me back on track:)

Missy said...

Okay, I should be back to being a "regular", but I am trying to whittle down my blogging to those that are fruitful and I had to take some time during and after my forced blog-fast to sort it all out.

And of course, Brandi you must know you are very fruity to me!

SO, I am in - especially because I have seriously neglected some household duties.

My goal is to re-purpose my schedule. I used to spend my 6 hours while kids are in school: 1-chores/5-work. Now I only work 2-3 hours - so my "baby step" is to add another hour to household chores and GET OFF the computer completely for that time. That still leaves me an hour+ for blogging, lunch and whatever.

Obviously there are exceptions, but I really want to put my family's needs first. Like tomorrow I have a dr appt. So I would find creative ways to work in that 2 hours and not cut it short by taking away "tea-time" or some blog time. Let me know if you think I am being too legalistic, but I will tell you I have been really lazy about this.

On the flip side, I always spending several hours playing catch-up on the weekends and miss out on fun family time - so 2 hours would be a nice limitation for all of us.

I am praying for you Brandi, Bird, Debs and Layna!

Brandi said...

Yeah, Missy! Glad I will get to see you around more!

I think you have a great goal...do you feel like an hour extra is too much to start out with? In my experience, it is much better to consistently, successfully do a smaller period of time than do a longer one for a while and then give up. But pray about it. Maybe 30 min. now, and we can do another challenge soon and you can increase? And I don't think it's legalistic..only do as the Lord leads and remember, forming a habit is a good thing! :-)

Thanks for the prayers, too!

Missy said...

Brandi, I think you might be right. I tried it yesterday just for kicks and I was seriously overwhelmed by the tightness of my schedule and I am not quite at the below 3 hour mark with work yet. How 'bout I say "at least" 30 minutes more? :)

Here we go!

Anonymous said...

Brandi,
I'm in. For me it's exercise. My problem is that I normally exercise in the early afternoon when the kids lay down. Oct. 1 I have an online class starting that is at 1pm every day. Now I must get up and exercise with my husband at 5:30. It doesn't work out too well for me just yet. I'd rather stay in bed.
So, my habit change shall be getting up at 5:30 3x a week (Mon-Fri) and exercising with my husband. On the chance that he is out of town, like the rest of this week, I will still get up at 5:30 to exercise.

Anonymous said...

Might I add that I will exercise every Saturday. Is my habit change to sparse for the 21 day challenge? I have so many other habits that need to change.

Anonymous said...

One last thing. Even if no one else wants to check in everyday I'd love to have daily accountability. I need daily accountability

Brandi said...

Missy--sounds great! You can always do an hour if/when you feel inspired!

Tami--Exercise is tough in that people don't usually exercise every day and the key to forming that habit is to do it 21 days in a row. But please don't let that stop you. Just do as the Lord leads you. Maybe you could have some exercise every day in addition to the 3 X per week? Like arm work on off days? Just something to get you into a daily HABIT of exercise. Just a thought.

Eric Guel said...

Here's my habit: some exercise every day with at least two times a week being walking. :-)