End of Week One.

What's tricky about stopping bad habits is that your body seems to naturally pick up other habits to drive you nuts in its place. I may have stopped biting my nails for now, but I seem to have started messing with the skin around my nails and popping my knuckles more. Instead of chewing on my hand, I just quickly give my thumb knuckles a pop and I feel better... then immediately worse because it's a habit I want to stop as well. Come on, body, chill out already.

Week one of this self-improvement project is now complete. I've diligently made lists every day, checked boxes, reviewed my resolutions in the morning and at night, listened to my weekly song every morning, meditated twice daily for just a few minutes, and kept track of how many times I've popped my knuckles or neck.

I wish I could say it's been a total success and I feel happier already, but I'm a long way away from that lofty goal... though I don't necessarily view happiness as a goal. Self-improvement is the goal. Or rather, it's a resolution. I'm resolving to be better. This will be a lifelong pursuit, not just one year.

Babble babble. Maybe I’ll have more insightful things to say when my month revolves around something deeper than not eating my hand.

For this next week, I’m adding cussing to my list of habits to break. I honestly don’t do it often, but I’ve noticed it doesn’t add to a situation… pretty much ever. And who takes a girl seriously when she’s talking about self-improvement and drops an f-bomb? I wouldn’t.

Also, instead of focusing on all the bad things I do, I'll work on being better about reenforcing the good habits. I drink water throughout the day, but I need to drink more, especially in Okinawa this time of year. I workout, but I need to be serious about doing it more often. I encourage people regularly on little things, like when working out in a group, but I should expand that to strangers or not-so-close friends.

So here's to the next week.

'Week' looks like a funny word when you look at it long enough...
-Jamie