Is 365 Days Too Many?
Many challenges are set at 30 days — enough time to develop a habit, but not enough time to get bored. Many people still give up around the mid-point.
Several years ago I tried a couple thirty day challenges, but the structure didn’t seem to create true, long-term growth and change. I’m pretty sure I need more than 30 days to develop a habit. Either I’m too stubborn or 30 days is too short.
The last two years, I’ve tried thirty-week challenges — committing to finishing a task once a week. I loved these challenges. They were long enough to make the commitment difficult, they engaged me almost the entire time, and I felt real change happen around the 20-week mark.
I’m at 18 weeks of every day blogging. I don’t yet know what I’ve learned and am still unsure of the purpose, but I’m confident I will find out. I’m currently in the slog zone.
One struggle I’m having now is that I’m interested in other things besides writing. I’m tempted to hop to a new challenge instead of complete the current one.
Maybe that in and of itself is of value — to learn to continue even when my interest veers. Not that it is wrong to shift interest or give up something that isn’t working, but I have a habit of jumping from one shiny object to the next. I love newness and adventure.
[For example — I’ve picked weeds with gusto all week.]
I made a commitment to myself to blog for the full 365 days — trusting that I chose it for a reason and that the lessons will be revealed over time.
I won’t stop now, but maybe there is a way to create more value for myself and for anyone reading. I’d like to work through that question. I’m only one third done. I have many months left to adjust, learn, and grow in this discipline. For the next third, I’d like to explore structure, intent and purpose instead of randomly throwing words to paper…
So, is 365 days too many? My tantruming, adventure-seeking self shouts it is. But some things take a year or more to grow. Often they are what we can’t see yet may need the most.
♡ Annie
Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash
Originally published at http://www.jomafilms.com on May 8, 2020.