Tips from Lifehack.org

1. Replace Lost Needs. Most habits fulfill a purpose of some kind, even if the side-effects are negative. You might watch television to relax, even if you have other things you would rather do. You might eat junk food to feel full, even if it isn’t healthy. Consider what you are giving up in your habit change and make an effort to replace those lost needs.
2. Write It in Ink. A commitment inside your head isn’t a commitment at all. Keep a binder where you can store written commitments for habit changes. Not only will writing reinforce a promise to yourself, it will clarify your thinking as to what exactly you want to change.
3. Commit for a Month. Resolve to stick to your change for at least thirty days. Less than this and you are likely to fall back into old habits. Three to four weeks is all it takes to condition a new habit.
4. Keep a Journal. Open up a new word document and commit to writing a few sentences each day about your progress. I’ve found this method helpful in reminding me about my commitment and helping me focus on the change I want to make.
5. Strategic Enjoyment. One way to create more positive feedback is to structure your habit so it becomes more fun. Going to the gym isn’t the only way to exercise if you hate it. Eating tofu isn’t the only meal option for vegetarians. Look for ways you can make a new habit more enjoyable.
6. Think Years, Not Months. A diet that consists of grapefruit and water isn’t going to provide nutritional needs to last your whole life. Work on creating changes to your diet, work, exercise or routines that can be sustained for years. Crash diets and 18-hour workdays will eventually break.
7. If You Slip Up, Start Over. I consider a habit change complete when I can go thirty consecutive days. If you slip up and break your habit on the 3rd, 15th, or 27th day, start over. This keeps you from cheating on days with the excuse that you will resume the day afterwards.
8. Behavior First, Results Later. Don’t let watching the scale or your bank account discourage you when trying to change a habit. The correct change in behavior has to come before any results start to appear. Focusing too much on losing weight, working less or being rich and throw off your attempts to form good habits.
9. One Habit at a Time. Don’t tackle several changes at once. Successfully conditioning one habit change is more useful than giving up on a half dozen changes after a month.
10. Learn From Mistakes. This one is pretty obvious, but it’s surprising how many people when they fail to make a change, go back to using the exact same strategy. Figure out why you failed previously, and don’t be too quick to blame willpower.
11. Consistency Counts. A habit that is performed the same way, at the same time and under the same conditions every day for a month will be reinforced far more strongly than one that changes throughout the week. Be consistent and you can spend less time reinforcing a habit.

A Day of Acomplishment

Yesterday was a day of great accomplishment. One of my goals was to get my own car insurance because I had been under my mom's before. That was taken care of with one phone call and a stop by the bank. Though it was set up by the fact that I had asked for my old job back at Hypercel and was able to pay for insurance.


I also went on two fantastic dates yesterday. One in the morning with my friend Stephanie Garayoa. We went out for breakfast then went to the Getty. The latter helping me get one museum closer to having gone to 20 museums. It was pretty cool getting to know Stephanie better. The exhibition the Goats Dance: Photographs by Graciela Iturbide was rad. Bellow is my favorite picture from the exibihition

In the evening I went out with this girl that is kind of a friend, but is really closer friends with two of my other friends. So she is kind of a friend of a friend. I had heard how cool she is, so I figured I should hang out with her more. I asked her out a while ago but stuff kept me from setting a date to go out.

We went out for Thai food then we drove around and saw Christmas Lights. It was a real laid back fun date. So all in all it seems like I haven't been walking which is awesome goal to work on but I have been taking care of other things.

Day 102

I was kind of hoping to do a day 101 post but alas I was way to busy yesterday to do that. Well in reality I was not as busy as I would like to pretend.

I am really excited about my goals still and they are in many ways the focus who I am. But I do not focus on them as much as I would like. I am pretty stoked up about the fact that 2 weeks ago I started working at the company I was working for before I decided to run my own business. This is goal related because it has limited the amount of time that I have to work on my goals. Plus it since a lot of my goals cost money it will help those be accomplished. Though the severe lack of time has interfered with my favorite goal of walking 90 minutes a day. It has been a few weeks since I have done that I really need to get back into that habit.

The whole having a day job has already helped me to pay off one of my debts which was money owed to the Gym so now I can start going again which is awesome. I have been talking to a few of my friends about working out with them so it should be good times.

I have been reading through the Bible though it is much slower going than I would hope. The main regret is that I haven't been reading the other books I need to read. I though I have been extremely slowly reading Pride and Prejudice, The Magicians Nephew, Wild at Heart and The Little Prince. So hopefully this year I will have one of those done.

Today I was planning my first trip to Nashville that will count toward my goals and figuring out when I can take classes at COC.