We are in the Waxing Gibbous moon phase, when I can settle again into the yin of Beingness. Now is a time to reconsider my intentions and make adjustments. I will contemplate the big picture of my life as I practice mindfulness, self-care and trust.
Agenda:
1. Read "Tiny Habits"
2. Healthy snack habit
3. Deep cleaning
4. Giving each thing a home
5. Creative visualization
1. Read "Tiny Habits":
I'm reading this book by BJ Fogg (2020), with the subtitle of "The Small Changes That Change Everything". This is the scripting process introduced in Sweet Spot, expanded on.Chapter Three is Ability; Easy Does It, all about choosing the tiniest thing. The question is, How can I make this behavior easier to do?
3 ways to choose from:
- Increase my skill - ask myself, will research, practicing, or taking a class make this habit easier to do?
- Gather tools and resources - will getting a coach, a video, or special supplies make this habit easier to do?
- Make the behavior radically tiny - will choosing a tiny starter step or scaling the habit back make it easier to do?
The answers will help me to design a habit that becomes rooted in my routine. On days that I backslide, I can do the tiniest step and feel good. And once it wires in I can grow it bigger. This also works for one time actions that I can't seem to do.
Ideas for new habits and steps:
- Exercising: Always start with some gentle neck and back stretches. On days I backslide I can all least do those.
- Oiling my bike chain: Take the tiny step of finding my oil and a rag.
- Healthy snack habit: Choose to learn and make one new healthy snack each week
2. Healthy snack habit:
This month I've set my diet as a priority, with the top row being vegetables, healthy snacks, and N-R-G drinks. I made a weekly schedule, and Monday is my day to plan my snacks and lunches for the week, including some healthy baking. (Tuesday I will prepare the snacks).
To make this habit easy, I've decided to learn and make one new healthy snack each week, and add it to my Favorite Healthy Snack List. A healthy snack includes a fruit or a veggie:
- Grapes, peaches,
- Sweet fruit yogurt
- Crackers and hummus
- Bagels and avocado
- Carrots
- Tomatoes and cottage cheese
- Apples and peanut butter
This week: Whipped ricotta dip (with carrots)-
- Spoon the ricotta into a deep container. Add olive oil (1/2 Tbsp. per cup), lemon zest and or herbs and spices, and a big pinch of salt.
- Whip the ricotta with my immersion blender until it's smooth, airy, and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
- Garnish with a drizzle of oil, a few cracks of black pepper, and serve with carrots.
3. Deep cleaning:
After quite a while of doing "basic" cleaning, I'm starting to be disgusted with some parts of my house (around the sink, door frames, light switches...). Now is the time to step it up a bit, little by little, to clean those spots well; I've scheduled one or two Big Task Days each week, Saturday and Sunday (and Monday will be my fallback if I don't finish on the weekend), and I need to choose only one or two big tasks each week.
My top 2 Big Tasks this week/ next week:
- Wipe around the sink (Saturday)
- Painting the front of the house (Sunday)
4. Giving Each Thing a Home:
I'm still working to find a zen balance of order that feels good. I have asked myself "Why am I holding on to so much stuff - how can I make letting go super easy? How can I make sorting fun again?"
My current clearing plan is to tackle one room-clearing task, one outdoor-clearing task and one studio task each week. This week I plan to:
- Clear food cabinets
- Organize shed shelves
- Studio: Choose some paintings to give away to friends.
My weekly rhythm + extras is:
- M: Recycling
- T: Garbages + check can dates
- W:
Sort clothes and give some awayClear food from cupboards and dump compost - Th: In-basket, papers, books
- F: Deep dive: Choose some paintings to give away to friends.
- Sat: Organize shed shelves
- Sun: Zen tidy in living room
5. Creative Visualization:
Every month, at the waxing gibbous moon, I call on the practice of visualization to help me to see the next steps towards bringing my goals to fruition.
Today I shine a light on my deep desire to clear out the studio
Creative visualization is a technique that uses my imagination to create change. (Because of my visual and auditory sensitivity, this is the best process for knowing what I'm feeling.) It has these steps:
- First, set an intention: Say, "Today I call on the Spirit of Love to bring me clarity and open my eyes to how best to release a bulk of stuff from my studio that is choking my creativity."
- Center and relax each part of my body: With each breath, allow my awareness to deepen and become softer. No stress. No rush. I walk or float in an imaginary void. Open a connection to Spirit. Feel a soft warmth begin to grow and spread through me, until I am radiating quiet energy.
- Create a clear, detailed picture in my mind, as though the objective has been reached. Paint a vivid mental image of choosing one corner or shelf and systematically and daily removing stuff until the space is empty. Put as much positive energy into the images as possible.
- Lastly, affirm that this is what I want with a short positive phrase in the present tense: "Today I will take the next step towards clearing my studio."
- Give thanks and return: Saying thanks out loud is how I acknowledge the reality of the gift of my vision.
The thought-image is like a signal-flare that guides the physical thing or deed to manifest in my life (and it's a good way to keep my intentions in my mind). I will carry the vision of the completed goal with me, and focus on it often during the day, in a gentle manner.
6. New Studio plan:
It felt so good to picture clearing out the studio! Here's my plan- pick one area to clear each week, and take at least one thing out of that area each day.
This week: Painting shelf (because it will free up space for other stuff on that shelf).
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