Today is Day One!
I suck at consistency.
I'm good at visions. Big pictures. Desires. The plot to save the world. Beginnings.
I suck at consistency. Did I mention that already? Keeping it going. Finishing.
I'm especially lousy at it when it is something I have promised myself. Not you, but myself.
So this challenge is for me. And you, if you believe–as I do–that fulfilling a promise to yourself is important. If you believe–as I do–that doing one thing consistently and mindfully over a defined period of time (let's say, oh I don't know, 37days?) could change your life. If you believe that new things will happen for you if you just keep one promise to yourself.
We are masters of keeping promises to other people. What about keeping one little promise to ourselves for just 37 days? How about contemplating why our promises to ourselves are the hardest to keep?
People have been writing in from all over to participate. Some of us will focus on walking or running or moving our bodies in some way each day. Some will meditate for a prescribed period of time each day. Some will write every day or fill up the pages in a gratitude journal every night. Some will be someone's Amy each day, offering support and encouragement to someone else every day for 37 days. One that touched me greatly was this one: "I would hold a different person's hand for a full minute each day."
Like many, I don't feel like I can add one more thing to my day. I am overwhelmed beyond the capital letter O. But as I look at the long list of things I must do each day, the shortest list is the "me" list. Your one action doesn't need to take an hour or two. How about 10 minutes a day, instead?
Share with us what is happening for you during this process. What are you learning, feeling, doing? If you're a blogger, blog about the process and send links back – I'll post here on 37days. If you'd like, leave comments here each day to talk about your 37 days.
37days reader Ruth Davis created the fantastic 37days "bingo" card (printable version) that accompanies this post. She sent it to me with this note: "I am anticipating playing 37Day BINGO as I intend to walk 37 minutes each day for 37 days beginning tomorrow. I wanted to show you the BINGO card that I made to keep track of my progress. Feel free to share it with your readers if you like, maybe they would like to play along too ;) Looking forward to Day 1 and every Day 1 after that."
Here's your 37days Challenge contract. Fill it out, fold it up, and put it in your wallet or pocket or post it on your mirror. Tell someone you're doing this so they can call you up everyday and casually ask, "So, how was your run?" or "How's that meditation going?" or "Whose hand did you hold today?"
The contract document for you to print out is here. Oh, you and I both know that I don't know how to link to that document. The text is below for your cutting and pasting pleasure.
37days challenge
March 27 – May 3, 2009
I, ________________________, being of kinda sound mind and body, have willingly decided to try to do one thing consistently every single day for the next 37 days. C’mon, self, it’s just 37 days. The one thing I will try to do every day is this:
I’m not going to pick two things or nine things because that will dilute my focus –- just one thing. One. One simple action. An action, not a goal. An action, not a value. An action, not a wish. Something I can DO.
I’m doing this challenge at this time because:
I’ve chosen this particular daily action because I believe if I do it consistently for 37 days with no (NONE, ZERO, ZIP) exceptions, I will:
If I should fail, I won’t blame anyone but myself (not even my partner, that idiot with 29 items in the express lane at the Piggly Wiggly, the IRS (so needy!), the people who make frosted Pop Tarts and Lofthouse Cookies, or Fate).
I also realize that this contract is solely with myself and carries no rewards, penalties or punishments other than those associated with the reflection of the strength of my character.
New things will happen for me.
I’m ready.
TODAY IS DAY ONE.
