Kaizen Friday: Gretchen Rubin's Holy Grail of Practical Habit Formation Strategies

Look no further.

Standing six feet away from my friend at his family-owned horticulture shop, he asked me if I picked up any new hobbies during our shelter-at-home order.

I ruminated and said, “no.” “Really?” his tone and expression revealed surprised.  

I told him I was spending my time doing more of the things I love like reading, doing yoga, running and writing this blog. 

Indeed, many people have taken this time to reconnect to old hobbies. Others discover new ones. 

a reminder to practice self-compassion

ARE YOU LIVING THE LIFE YOU ENVISIONED? (ME NEITHER.)

In the early days of the pandemic, my eyes were glued to the screen, turning my brain into mush. 

Don’t get me wrong – I still indulge in the occasional binge-session (Never Have I Ever's second season needs to come yesterday). 

But after 30 days and 30 nights as a bona-fide couch potato, I began questioning how my habits were forming my days. 

Was I really spending my time the way I wanted to? No. Were my actions true to my values? They weren’t. Did I feel fulfilled at the end of the day? gulp No.  

It was time to change.

A fortuitous event handed me a copy of  Gretchen Rubin’s thought-provoking and witty insight into habit formation (and backed by science at that!) which I’ll share with you today.

Kaizen Friday Feature: Better than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin

This book is for you if you:

• need a kick in the butt to lose a habit or form a new one
• want to learn which strategies are suitable for you
• are tired of reacting to life and instead, want to act

THE TRICK TO HABIT FORMATION

For a long time, I was spinning my way through life haphazardly.

This book gave me a (much-needed) kick in the butt to re-examine my habits and values. 

It gave me the tools to look at which habits to get rid of or at least reduce the frequency. It lent me confidence and structure in pursuing habits that I’ve yet to automatize.

Rubin reminds me that there’s no one-size-fits-all-solution. What works for her may not work for me and vice versa. That's the neat thing about it all. 

The trick is to learn about yourself - starting with your Tendency. 

Then, tailor your strategies to make it stick for you. Choose one that resonates with you and let me know in the comments below.

GRETCHEN RUBIN DOES WHAT?

Here are some interesting facts about her:
- She co-hosts a podcast with her sister (and best friend), Elizabeth Craft.
- She was clerking for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor when she decided to become a writer.
- To improve her balance, she stands on one leg while on the elevator ride up, and the opposite on the way down (Strategy of Pairing).

IS IT REALLY FOR ME?

I understand if you feel skeptic - I was at first. And then there's the actual effort of "working on yourself" which some people are perfectly content with cruising through life.

I say, give the quiz a chance and go from there. Who knows what could click for you in terms of applying kaizen to improve some part of your life.

As if we needed an excuse to dust off our rhinestone-studded brassiere...

AALIYAH SAYS IT BEST

As you charge (hopefully) into your new kaizen projects with renewed determination, remember to practice compassion and cut yourself some slack when/if you veer off-course.

Every moment we experience a sense of self-awareness is an opportunity for change. Ask yourself, what is a lesson I can learn from this? 

And if first you don't succeed, dust it off and try again. You can dust it off and try again. Try again. 

ESSENTIAL QUESTION  

Look closely at how you spend your time each day by way of habits. 

Are you living the life you envisioned for yourself? 

What habit(s) have you found challenging to form, and why? Which habit(s) would you like to master? 

Share your thoughts in the comments below.