Depression is a lying bitch. But I would also be misrepresenting the truth if I said I didn’t often fall for her deceptions.
My resolutions chart has saved me from seeing her on the downlow more times than I can count. I’m a happier person when I do the things I “ought” to be doing. As an obliger, I need constant reassurance. Is this how to live?
Needless to say, my resolutions chart is my buddy.
Make it your buddy, too. Do it with me. Let’s make our first resolutions chart. Or, if you’re me, your four thousandth resolutions chart. My math might be wrong.
I hope you find the exercise as exciting as I do.
I use google drive and make a spreadsheet. My suggestion is for you to pick five resolutions to start. Get in the habit of tracking before jumping all in. You can pick them out from your brainstorming from earlier this month. Maybe do one resolution per life goal. Here are five of mine for next month.
Social – Ask parents one question
I have started five books since finishing my first one. One is a young adult paranormal mystery novel. One is a novel from a dog’s point of view. My favorite is the one I’m not ready to talk about. One is a self-help book I’m cannibalizing for articles. And one is the story of my parents’ journey from immigrants with nothing to living comfortably in retirement thanks to thrift and grit and hard work.
I have a list of dozens of questions to ask my parents for background on the book, so I get a smiley face on my resolutions chart if I call my parents and ask them one question on my list.
If I spend each day talking to my mom gathering stories and asking questions, I might never write that book, but I’m still having those conversations with my mom. It’s that moment that matters.
This also checks the writing box. Woot.
Fitness – Floss
I know this is ridiculous, but I floss so much more regularly when I make room for it on my chart. I always tell myself something my dentist cousin once told me
Floss only the teeth you want to keep!
So I get a smiley face in this cell if I’ve flossed all the teeth I want to keep. Which is all of them.
Meditation – write observations on meditation
I get a smiley face in this cell if I write 100 words or more each day on what I thought of that day’s meditation. Pretty straightforward.
This also checks the writing box. Woohoo.
Business – answer emails
I’m so bad at answering emails and cultivating relationships online. So bad. I’m trying to get better.
So I get a smiley face in this cell if I’ve spent some time answering emails. One email is enough for a smiley face. Email me!
This will also check the writing box. Yay!
Writing – 500 words in book
I toggle between using time blocking and word counts to measure my writing. Personally, I like time blocking better, but I think I write more words when I measure by words.
So I get a smiley face in this cell if I’ve written 500 words in any one of my five books that I’ve started.
***
Besides those five, my other resolutions are:
Workout (time)
Workout (activity)
Meditate
Vitamin D
Remember that the quality of my thoughts determines the quality of my life
Jumping jacks
Read 50 pages
Duolingo
Now it’s your turn.
You can start with more than five resolutions if you want. I’m not your mother. But, I urge you to fight the impulse to overachieve. You don’t want to require too much time and mental energy in the beginning or you’ll abandon it. It has to be easy and fun.
I’m doing a few more resolutions than you at twelve, but I’ve been doing this for a while. In later months, I’ll encourage you to add on more, but in the beginning, five is a good place to start.
You don’t have to, of course, but I’m picking theme months and using my five life values for the themes over the next five months.
July’s theme is writing as evidenced by how many resolutions involve writing.
We’ll talk again soon.
Seriously, have you looked into CBD OIL for your depression/anxiety???
I’ve tried CBD and it does nothing for me! Also, just depression, no anxiety!
Never tried one before, they seem too rigid for me.
My main focus is to finish off that weight loss so I can fit into the 105kg weight class. Highly motivated today but that will fade in a few days. So lets see if the chart makes it more effective than last time.
My chart is
1 Training, got a separate chart for this.
2 Cooking, bi-weekly occurrence so only two smiles per week.
3 Lost weight.
4 Think deep. Currently thinking about risk in my investments. Seems to be anti everything all FIRE blogs say, but don’t worry It’s excitement not anxiety about it that keeps me awake at night.
5 Grooming. Includes both flossing and trimming the beard, the latter being so wild that last week it tried to strangle a kid who cornered it in the park.
I love that you have a separate chart for training. I think that makes a huge difference. Also, love your resolutions. I struggle with ones I want to do only a few times a week as opposed to every day, so I’m curious as to how that works out for you.
I love this, thank you! Can you also advise re sticking to resolutions on those days where work/kids/life in general makes you want to eat too much chocolate?! If so, you’re a hero
Don’t have it in the house! Tell yourself that you’re the type of person who doesn’t have a sweet tooth and doesn’t crave chocolate. Prove it to yourself with small wins. Every time you say no to chocolate, that’s who you become!
I think having a training journal/chart really makes a difference. When i train for my marathons or half i prepare my training chart on which days of the week i plan to run and how many miles and which day is rest day or cross train day. Because when you rae training for a marathon for instance you have to atleast run 21-23 miles as you longest run and that just before a month of your race. serious athletes have even more deeper journals including what foods they want to eat and how much of protein intake and so on. Having a training chart makes you want to get that task done. Having my training chart i trained for my first marathon with a target goal of 4 hrs but ended up with 4:07. So yeah it works!!!
Awesome! I agree with everything you just said. Except that I would never run a marathon. 🙂
After many years of reading your tips, I finally started a chart for July. (Floss, 20 min quality time with child 1, 20 min quality time with child 2, clean sink at night) Why now? I think because your last few posts have been building to this in a gentle yet encouraging way. Thank you
Yay! That was the intent. It started out as a self-help course/book on habits, but decided blog posts were better. I’m so happy you are trying it out with me in July. And I love your resolutions!
I just happened to read David’s latest post at Root of Good right before this. Funny, you too are on a similar wavelength right now, but each with unique perspectives. When I get in a rut, it’s usually linked to a dry spell on the fitness and/or diet side. That doesn’t seem to be a pain point for ya though so… Maybe a change of scenery, or a breakup in routine, even if it’s just a few hours might help when you feel it coming on? Keep writing!
Are you talking about this article? Wow, he goes into a lot of depth in his finances! Fantastic.
Dagnabbit! I meant David @ Raptitude. I guess I have them back-to-back in my blog favorites list.
Great article.
I especially like “The gentle ramp’s great lesson is that nothing really works but consistency over time.”
Thanks for the tip! Monthly resolutions rather than those we make at the beginning of the year. I’ll try it. Especially since there are several things I need to do but have been putting them off. First, I need to move to another state to help take care of an elderly relative. And second, I need to find another job once I get there. (The thought of this sometimes overwhelms me. I think that is why I put it off.) Regarding your book ideas, I like the story of your parents best.
That seems to be the one that most people gravitate toward. And I’m so excited you’re doing resolutions with me in July. You’ll feel like you’re getting something done which, I’ve found, lessens any anxiety about not doing what you’re supposed to be doing.
I did this for a few months last year. I’m in again for July! On my list: log hours billed; pack lunch; exercise!; practice gratitude; and de clutter (which also could mean tidying up).
Yay! How did you feel about it last year?
Those are lovely resolutions. I’m so excited!
I’m a rebel. So I struggle with consistency. The resolutions chart helps because it gives me ideas for healthy things I *could* do every day. I felt pretty good about it last year; my favorite part is the academic grading scale. The part I have to guard against is setting too many resolutions or making the resolutions too hard.
Yeah, even I have a tendency sometimes to try too many resolutions and then I just fall flat on my face and give up for the month. I’ve learned that lesson many, many times. 10-15 is the maximum number of resolutions before I get overwhelmed.
I do something similar, and I found this template very helpful (for those like me who want to try this but aren’t the best at spreadsheets) https://www.ultraworking.com/lights
Oooh, they are pretty spreadsheets!
Giving this a shot this month – but using a different way to organize it (everyday app in my case). Going to steal a few you’ve listed too!
– No Internet before noon
– Track calories
– Exercise 6x a week for 30m+
– Write for 30m/day
– Work on Minafi for 2h/day, 4d/week (have a bunch of big projects ideas, but need to invest the time in them)
– Get outside for a long hike/camp every week
– Limit social media time (still figuring out the exact measurement on this)
Most of these are iterations on what I’m doing already, rather than sudden habits I’m starting. Let’s see how it goes!
Tell me if you figure out a way to count calories without going insane!