I have a confession to make.
I am not very consistent about ANYTHING.
I have a stack of unfinished books in my room. I am terrible at taking supplements. I've never kept a given morning practice going for too long... for a while it was morning pages, it's also been meditation, empowerment visualizations... and for the past few months nothing.
I've known about my lack of consistency for most of my life, but it's only been in the past couple of years that I have come to fully own it.
One of the things that began to show me my challenge with consistency is that I have never done my own detox program alone. For me to complete it, I need to be accountable to someone else. I can't do it alone.
I other words, I quit on myself but I will neither quit on someone else, nor in front of someone else.
I know many of you share this challenge with me. Yes?
Maybe you’re challenged to exercise consistently. Maybe it's inconsistency with eating healthy. Maybe it's getting to work at a certain time. Perhaps it’s something else you want to do differently, but never stick to it.
It is especially a problem if our lack of consistency undermines our progress towards things we really want. In my case, it's undermining my showing up for myself in a way that is in alignment with my vision for my business.
I have a big vision. I want to reach hundreds of thousands of people, and potentially millions of people. It's bold of me to say this...and vulnerable. Now you all know. In this vision I am helping people to become the most powerful version of themselves that they can envision.
In order for me to facilitate that for others, I need to be there myself. As the old adage goes, we teach what we most need to learn.
I want to practice excellence in all dimensions of my life. I want to feel that I am living in integrity with myself and that at the end of the day I am satisfied with how I lived my day.
That requires consistency.
The first step I took a few weeks ago.
I deleted Facebook from my phone and iPad. I realized just how many things I wasn't doing because of the time I was spending scrolling down the feed. Quite frankly, there's very little on Facebook that helps me be consisten with who I want to be. If I am to be a contribution to this world, I need to put my attention (and my time) towards things that bring out the best in me.
I need to create myself as the person I want to be.
The next step I put in place yesterday.
After talking with my coach on Monday about my lack of consistency, I committed to him that every day for the next 21 days I will start my day with a chakra clearing meditation. I told him that every day when I'm done I will send him a text.
I'm on day 2 and he's gotten two texts. Success! Nineteen more to go.
I am excited about this.
Why 21 days? Some "gurus" say that it takes 21 days to create a new habit. I don't really care whether it's 21 or 48. This is something I want to keep doing consistently, but I need to start with measurable commitment that I can show to myself.
21 days I can commit to, and by the time 21 days roll around, I'll be seeing a positive effect and it should be easier to continue.
I will keep you posted on my insights and progress.
What about you?
Do you have a new habit that you'd like to commit to for 21 days?
I'd be happy to be your accountability buddy. Simply send me a message that you'll be doing my 21 day consistency challenge, and then every day send me a short message that you've done completed your new habit that day.
This offer expires on November 16 when I finish my 21-day challenge to myself to stay consistent with my morning practice. You can choose to start at any point between now and November 16 and I will be there to support you.
Trust me, having someone who is expecting to hear from you is an enormous help towards staying consistent.