Hello Friends,
After the start of a new year, we start hearing a lot of “New year, new you!” messages. It’s common to make resolutions meant to make us happier, healthier, more productive, or more creative. On the one hand, it’s exciting to think about all the positive changes we might achieve in the year. Also, it can be discouraging to remember how we may have tried and failed in the past.
Because the reality is: new year and same you. The moot question is, how can we make the new year a happier, better year?
Better tools.
People often argue that a certain tool is the “best” tool or that a certain approach is the “right” approach. “Make a to-do list!” “Get up early and tackle that hard task first!” “Get an accountability partner!” “Get clear on your ‘why!'”.. bla..bla..bla..blaa and much more
But there is no one “best” way or “right” way—just whatever way works for you.
Some people are morning people, others are night people. Some like a to-do list, some like a ta-da list, or a to-day list, or a could-do list. Some people need accountability; some resist it. Some people want to handwrite a sentence; others, to click a button.
- In my experience, however, people cling to the idea that there’s a “best” way and believe that if someone would tell them the “best” way, their habits would stick.
I would say :- ” There’s no best way, it depends on what works for an individual, we need to figure out what’s true for you, etc., etc.,” I often get to know that they didn’t believe me. They wanted the BEST way. So now, after I say all that other stuff, I add, “After all, what’s the best way to cook an egg?” And then they understand: There can be no single best way to cook an egg because it depends on how you like to eat your eggs. Or maybe you don’t eat eggs at all!
To put it another way: The bird, the bee, and the bat all fly, but they use different kinds of wings. The fact is, no magic, one-size-fits-all solution exists.
The good news is that It turns out that it’s not hard to change your habits provided you do it in the way that’s right for you. The trick is to know yourself and choose the right tool for you. I’ve been working to develop more tools so that I can offer a great habit-change tool for just about everyone.
For instance, My Productivity Journal which you can get free by subscribing to my Newsletter Sunday Retazo. It can help you achieve any aim you choose, you can pursue several aims at the same time, and it guides you to the tool that’s likely to work well for you.
Journals:
While many people love the convenience of an app, some people prefer to write by hand in a notebook. For those, a set of journals is helpful to make people better so that they stick to their habits.
- Know Yourself Better Journal: This journal suits people who want more self-insight, but need more direction than a blank page. It offers questions and distinctions meant to help you achieve deeper understanding—and discover ways you might make your life a little happier.
- Don’t Break the Chain Habit Tracker: For many people, the “don’t break the chain” approach is a powerful way to build daily habits, and this tracker makes it easier to maintain helpful streaks. It provide structure and flexibility, with space to visualize progress in different ways, use “pass” stickers if you need to take a day off, and award yourself gold-star stickers to celebrate your milestones.
- One-Sentence Journal: Satisfying yet manageable, the One-Sentence Journal is designed for those who yearn to keep a record of their lives, but don’t have the time or energy to maintain a conventional journal. You might use the One-Sentence Journal to record the progress of a new business or project, to write memories of a child’s first year, to track a course of medical treatment, to note creative insights, as a gratitude journal, or as a food or travel journal.
Most people use a mix of tools. I sure do. Speaking of teaching questions, like “What’s the best way to cook an egg?” here’s another of my favourites: “What’s the best time to plant a tree?” The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second-best time is now.The best time to start a happiness project is twenty years ago. The second-best time is now.
JOE
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Main Image Credit: Photo by Laurentiu Iordache on Unsplash
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Take Care
