21 Days to a More Disciplined Life: Day 4

I am reading 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life as part of my goals for 2014 and I'm sharing insights from each day's readings. If you want to catch up on my progress, read previous days: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3.

Day 4:
Crystal remind us that in order to truly cement a new habit, we need to focus on only one habit at a time. I have struggled with this a lot. I see all the things I want to change and then try to change them all at once. I always end up more of a mess than when I started. "It's better to focus on and master only three habits each year that actually stick, than to repeatedly try to develop 30 different habits all at the same time and end up overwhelmed, frustrated, and back to where you started."

Practical Application: Crystal had three applications again today. 1. Make a list of all the good habits you want to develop and the bad habits you want to reverse. (see my list below) 2. Prioritize the top three habits. 3. Set your paper aside and plug away on the habit you've already chosen. You can come back to the list when you feel like the habit your working on has truly become just that, a habit.

Mega Project Progress: I didn't get a chance to do any mending today as we had a very full day at church.

Good Habits I want to develop

1. Clean the kitchen every night (this is what I am currently working on
2. Wake up early
3. Read daily
4. Track what I eat
5. Exercise on a regular basis (3-5 days a week)
6. Follow my monthly budget
7. Manage my time more efficiently.
8. Go through the filing on a weekly basis
9. Clean up right away after working on a project
10. Sew more (make 6 or more items a year)
11. Practice piano on a regular basis (2-3 days a week)

Bad Habits I want to reverse

1. Going to bed late at night
2. Snacking on sweets
3. Impulse buying
4. Stop piling things in boxes instead of finding a place for them
5. Stop being late