#microresolution

11.25.18 | Sunday

Currently reading: Small Move, Big Change by Caroline Arnold

Dharma Master Cheng Yen always talks about time and says that time helps us accomplish things.  Tzu Chi’s celebrating its 57th anniversary is the result of 57 years of service.  A student’s receiving a high school diploma is the result of 12 years of education.  The Buddha’s attaining enlightenment is the result of eons of spiritual cultivation.  It is through time that things are achieved.

Time is invisible and intangible.  If we are not aware of it, second after second, time is gone and we would not have accomplished anything.  How can we better manage our time? 

1. A Microresolution is Easy

Construct microresolutions that are limited, achievable and impactful. Whatever you set should not leave room for decision making because that’s a factor that’ll leave you postponing it for another day, another week or never! It has to be something you’re sure that you will do. When you make an unrealistic commitment, you’re less likely to execute it. For example if you leave it to “Have a tidier house” you will have to decide how tidy is tidy? And we don’t want that.

 2. A Microresolution is an Explicit and Measurable Action

Be absolutely specific in creating your microresolutions. It should be narrowed down to a single aspect in your life. Resolutions like “Get Organized” is too broad to be achieved, what you should do is find a focus, like, “Clear work desk every Saturday morning”. Make sure you pin down the day and time for guaranteed effectiveness.

 3. A Microresolution Pays Off Up Front

“Make bed each morning before breakfast” delivers your goals instantly as compared to “Keep the room tidy at all times” as you scan last night’s take-out on the floor and papers to be read scattered on your desk. Believe in starting small. With microresolutions, you will see the benefit instantly and this will motivate you to go ahead with the resolutions until you are able to do them effortlessly on autopilot.

 4. A Microresolution is Personal

Create microresolutions that are designed by you, for you and take into account of your attitude, your bad habits and situations. Really take the time to analyze your life and see what’s one simple habit that you can adopt in your life to make it a little easier. Answering e-mails immediately? Making summary after every topic in that particular class? You decide.

 5. A Microresolution Resonates

Once you have figured out what habit you want to integrate into your life, it’s time to positively reframe it. Instead of simply saying “I resolve to chew my food slowly”, it’s more effective to reframe it into “I resolve to dine leisurely and savor my food and drink”. Positive words have to power to change your perception of the action.

 6.  A Microresolution Fires on Cue

Sometimes your bad habits are triggered by context cues and not tied down by the time and day. For instance, passing by the vending machine after you gym sesh made you buy “just one snack” and before you know it, you’ll always feel the need to snack every time you walk by vending machines. So the cue here is vending machine. Your microresolutions can be to avoid vending machines at all costs by taking the stairs instead of the elevator, where the machine is situated at.

 7. Make Microresolutions just Two at a Time

Start small. After seeing results right before your eyes, it’s normal to be greedy and create more microresolutions. But that is bound to either fail or stress you out. Remember, the main goal of microresolutions is to turn it into a habit, something you will do on autopilot.  A decision to do something isn’t the same thing as doing it; habit is a product of practice, not definition.

1. Stop smoking in my car

My bigger goal is to quit smoking for good. I will throw out the car ashtray and whenever I feel like smoking I will tell myself: “It smells 104% better if you don’t smoke in here.”

2. 100 crunches/day

My bigger goal is to be fit. I will do 100 crunches before bed, at my own pace. I will tell myself: “It worked in the past. I am motivated to do it again.”

3. Wash & moisturize my face daily before and after sleep

I have been doing this for the past weeks and it has almost become a habit. Writing this here to keep me motivated. I will tell myself: “Your face is almost acne-free. Soon it will be scar-free too.”

4. Keep an abundance log

Last year I travelled to St Tropez with my family on a self-growth journey to relax and find myself. I started an abundance log back then and things went from good to wonderful. I should write before bed a few things that happened that day that I am grateful for. I will tell myself: “remember how this makes your life wonderful.”

The key to microresolutions is telling yourself something.