I recently was intrigued by the book: The Power of Habit.
It got me thinking of some habits I adopted in 2012 - many of which helped make my 2012 a successful & memorable one, and a few habits I hope to shed in 2013. And so, I present you with….
12 habits I picked up in 2012
1. Swam with a snorkel & a band. It sucked at first. It took some big persuasion. My swim stroke is thankful. This habit still needs some TLC.
2. Committed to my travel partners. Delta/Hertz/Hilton. If you travel frequently, pick a brand & become loyal. The perks of having status are well-worth it. I wish I could complain of my horrific travel woes from 2012, but we made out pretty darn lucky!
3. Read more. 1 book a month. Some of my favorites form 2012: Wild, The Glass Castle, Unbroken, Deep Survival, Hunger Games, A Life Without Limits, Omnivore’s Dilema, In The Water They Can’t See You Cry, Gold.
4. Rolled with a squash ball and Trigger Point Grid.This was a 6x/week occurrence that took only 15 minutes. Thanks, Dr. Ball!
5. Strength & mobility training. This specialized program took only 20 minutes and I completed it 3x/week all the way through Ironman Hawaii. Controversial topic for some, but I will be repeating this in 2013+.
6. Cooked at home more. Chris and I enjoyed some of our best meals at home. Go me!
7. Ventured outside my comfort zone. I am one that enjoys routine & predictability. I did a few things this year that were out of my comfort zone and I live to tell the story! Go for it!
8. Multitasking. A bad habit (for me), that needs to stop.
9. Turned off my computer. Once a week I turned off my computer - either my bike computer or running watch or laptop/phone and “unplugged”. I ran for enjoyment, pedaled for the heck of it, or didn’t answer an email/check twitter for the day. It was liberating.
10. Indulged. I think I achieved a greater balance of when to turn it on and when to CTFO (Chill Out). Looking back I probably tipped back a few more glasses of vino tinto or consumed (just) a tad bit more Big Dipper than years past. Totally worth it!
11. Outsourced. I spent less time doing things I don’t like (computer work) and focused my new free-time on things I am good at and enjoy (riding my bike outside).
12. Cleaned up the clutter. I cleaned out (okay, Ma P helped greatly!) the closets in early Spring and did a good job of not filling them back up again.
Stay tuned…. “Habits-to-Add in 2013” still needs to be discussed. Any ideas?!?