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Never forget that there is always something you can do instead…
Every day this week I’ve tried to be “good.” Why? Because here in New England the seasons are changing. So right now I’m doing my best to wake up every day and say, “This is the day I do what I’m supposed to do, no matter what comes along.”
I’m trying to drink more water, eat right, stay focused so I can keep up with my to-do list, and prioritize taking a walk every day—just generally practicing better self-care habits. Those little personal chores are the bedrock of our happiness more than we could ever realize!
Maintaining Self-Care Habits Through Life’s Chaos
Keeping up with all of that would be doable if it wasn’t for having to add in all the “stuff of life” (things like sudden work upheavals, laundry, and then—uh-oh, the vacuum cleaner is clogged, the kitchen clean-up didn’t get done last night, and…oh my, it’s really time to do something about that litter box!) The unexpected mayhem is a perennial problem.
(Yes, I’ve read the book about Atomic Habits by James Clear. It was a game-changer, and I know I should just keep it handy and drop into it randomly for a refresher course.)
Recently, however, I ran into a posting by globally renowned social entrepreneur Seth Godin, and it gave me a path to building better habits that was so succinct that I printed out a copy, and it sits just off-camera at my desk.
I thought I’d share it with you, to inspire anyone else who can’t quite keep all the balls in the air every day.
Instead by Seth Godin
A simple substitute might change a habit.
Instead of a snack, brush your teeth.
Instead of a nap, go for a walk.
Instead of a nasty tweet or cutting remark, write it down in a private notebook.
Instead of the elevator, take the stairs.
Instead of doom scrolling, send someone a nice note.
Instead of an angry email, make a phone call.
Instead of a purchase seeking joy, consider a donation…
I think Seth has nailed it on this topic.
(Here’s my interview with the brilliant Seth Godin on the Conspiracy of Goodness Podcast. People have told me that they’ve listened to that episode multiple times to squeeze all the insights out of it!)
There is always something more positive that we can do instead of that thing we just can’t seem to prioritize, something that might just check the box on the mandates we are making for our self-care, that we can’t quite accomplish.
- Instead of making time for a long walk, I could park at the top of this big hill that leads to my office today, and know that after my meeting, I’ve got a nice stroll to look forward to (and a bit of uphill cardio).
- I have countless good friends and business associates whom I respect enormously. Instead of getting pulled into that local (negative) zoning board debate on Facebook, I could write any one of them a quick email of (positive) connection.
- When I take my breaks throughout my workday, I could do a “ten minute tidy” while sipping water, instead of putting it all off until 5 o’clock when I’m exhausted.
Yes, “what could I do instead?” is going to be my mantra next week when I’m trying to be “good.” If a new habit is hard to create on its own, then maybe I can tack some extra good behavior onto something I’m going to do anyway to help get myself started.
Try it and let me know how it works out in the comments on the Goodness Exchange YouTube Channel!
