Summary:
Create your own list of fun and fulfilling habits to practice daily, and feel great! Here’s how to do it…
We all know there are some activities we do that make us feel great. Perhaps it is going dancing or singing. Unfortunately, we often get so busy, that we forget to do those activities that give us so much pleasure and satisfaction. To make sure you include these activities in your life, come up with your own top-10 habits. For example, here is my list:
- Bless myself and honor the seven directions, pray, or meditate.
- Make a to-do list, prioritize it, and keep it short.
- Bless others or help someone grow.
- Connect with someone besides my wife and son.
- Exercise or cook or take vitamins. Drink plenty of water.
- Spend time outside.
- Create art, journal, or write.
- Sing or play an instrument.
- Spend quality time with my wife and/or my son.
- Check-in with my feelings in my journal, give thanks, and find something positive about others, the world, and my day.
I can’t do all of these every day, but I can do some of them every day, some weekly, and some every two weeks. Also notice, that I’ve given myself some options. For instance, I might sing one day, and play an instrument another day. To make your own list, follow these steps:
- Brainstorm on all the possible things that bring you joy. Do this quickly and be open to whatever comes. Consider things you’ve done in the past and haven’t done for a long time. For additional ideas, see my Pleasure List.
- Rate your list with a 5 or 10 point scale to determine which items will bring you the most pleasure or satisfaction. Eliminate anything that you think you “should” do. For instance, exercise might be a “should” for you rather than a “want.” While I do advocate getting exercise, even when you don’t feel like doing it, don’t put it on your top-10 list. You can work on exercise as a separate project.
- Narrow your list to the things that you expect will consistently bring you joy or satisfaction. Keep it positive. Instead of “drink less coffee,” write, “drink plenty of healthy drinks.” Allow yourself the option of having a top-9 or top-11.
- Commit to how often you want to do each item – daily, three times a week, etc.
- Practice your new habits, and note which ones brought you the joy and satisfaction you wanted, and which ones you resisted doing. Items you resisted might have been “shoulds.” Consider replacing these items with something else. If you’re sure that you’re resisting a want, then you might want to take a look at that resistance with your coach.
I’d love to hear about your habits and your success story!
Visit the Creating Balance page on Steve’s website.