six months – From the desk of Adam Thomas

6 MONTHS! Writing Everyday for 6 months!

One of the reasons why I reignited this blog was to recommit to consistency. I have achieved that with my latest streak of writing. I have written everyday in this blog for six months (please hold the confetti).

Before I started this streak, I wanted to write. I have been a writer for a while, so I had an air of confidence that I could do the job. However, when I sat down, all I could think of was expectation. I had no readers, but the minute I sat down I already imagined the complaints that I would get. By the time I went down the list of worries in my head I turned a simple blog post into a peer-reviewed article that needed top-secret clearance. In short, I catastopized and it made me paralyzed.

That’s constantly hovering over me, and it is one of the reasons why I am not known for my consistency. As a matter of fact, if you asked anyone who knows me well,me writing something consistently for 6 months would sound strange.This blog didn’t happen all at once(it took me more than 4 years to start writing regularly) and it was a defined process. If I have learned anything it is that by leaning on willpower you end up with a quick recipe for disaster.Staring at these posts is a reminder of the strength behind the power or habit, and just showing up to do work everyday.

This month’s theme has been habits. I have written consistently for six months. This is the habit I am most proud of, so I can think of no better subject to break down when it comes to keeping a habit up.I have distilled it to three main ideas and when I implemented them.

Starting Small – This was the biggest barrier of entry. I finally started small, forcing myself to write 3 sentences a day, and started to worry about just getting the 3 sentences down. The streak started that day (February 4,2015)
Accountability – I put my blog in my email, it is on every card that I hand out, and in every guest post that I do. I made it impossible for me to not write anything without embarrassment. I make it a point to write that I say something everyday, and that became the next expectation. Every new person I meet will get a post in the email I send. Knowing this, I can’t afford to not have something new up everyday, unless I put my honor on the line (my twitter name is TheHonorableAT – as you could guess, my honor means a lot to me) (March 15th,2015)
Constantly Learning – When I let go of the big posts, and I stopped letting myself off the hook, I recognized that if I am here everyday, I could experiment often. I have tried video posts, audio posts, music reviews, how to’s, personal journaling, contests and more. Each day is an opportunity to try something new. If I fail I fail, but with this blog I can work out the kinks. I switched over to a growth mindset, and everyday I feel more and more confident with each experiment. ( April 20th, 2015)

Every day is a chance to get better. I have really enjoyed writing here 6 months in a row, and I can’t wait to connect in another 6 months to see the things I learned in a year.

Exercise Isn’t Fun – 3 Reasons Why I Don’t Get Up For It

I don’t exercise. It is one of my sore spots. I get even more sore after reading blogs posts that explain how important exercise is.

Exercise is It’s a habit that fails for me time and time again. I start with enough passion for it. I get the gym membership, I get the clothes and I get the gym lock. I find the gym, I ask questions, and I get things in motion.

But then after that first day, I begin to flail. Sometimes it lasts for a few days. Sometimes it as soon as I get the gym locker. Before I engage in this habit again, I figured that I better understand my failure before I try it. If I don’t, then I will end up in the same place.

I identified 3 reasons that I fail with exercise. Instead of just listing them, I am writing out the fear and then writing 2 solutions for each problem.By writing out the solution, I can excise the fear and hopefully, once I get back on the exercise track, not fall off.

Scheduling – I don’t make exercise a part of my day. I don’t schedule it, I don’t think about it, and after I get the gym pass, exercise becomes an abstract idea. So, upon waking up exercise takes a far lower priority than anything else (meditation,work,writing) . This allows any obstacle to derail me checking it off my list.
1. Put exercise in my schedule.
2. Make it a priority in an end of week wrap up.
Ritual – When I am in the mood to exercise, there is no system behind it. The power of systems is well documented, and the igniting power of a ritual can make a habit easy. By having no system, I give myself options. When my brain has options, anything else that is higher priority in my mind becomes easier. Nothing makes me think of email faster than push ups.
1. Take options away – make exercise a fixed time in my day.Lock everything else up until I exercise.
2. Engage in routine. Make exercise a ritual. Start by laying out my workout clothes next to bed
Accountability – What will people think? What if I smell bad? How do I get to work with just my gym clothes on? I focus on those questions instead of the important ones like how much have I exercised and what are my gains this week. Getting an accountability partner that will keep tabs on me going to the gym will guilt me to stay on it.
1. Accountability partner
2. Fresh pair of clothing ready to go – keep backup stuff at work.

I look at exercise as a key to unlocking my ideal self, increase my health, and empower me mentally. By keeping these issues at the top of mind, and being aware of what I am capable of when I don’t focus, next time I engage in this habit I will find some success.

Note: I have done a post everyday for six months, through all sorts of afflictions (tired,sick,hungover). I am happy about this and the continued growth of the blog and the writing. To six more. 🙂