A clean slate, that’s how we often look at the beginning of a New Year. A chance to refresh and make major changes in our lives. It can be exciting to think of making major changes, to identify the areas of our lives where we haven’t been making enough effort and changing that.
But let’s get real folks, do we actually think that we’re going to miraculously change behaviours with very little effort? Do we actually understand that each and every habit/behaviour we have must be replaced by another and re-learned before we can become successful in the long term?
Case in point: In July of 2011 I wrote this article where I shared a dirty little secret; I had a sock basket that was frustrating me and I vowed to get rid of it and never keep single socks again.
When I wrote this post I was intent upon ridding our home of the dreaded sock basket, to always toss out the single socks as they appeared.
Are you sitting there wondering why a sock basket would bother me so much? This is an example of how easily I can overlooks something in our home or in my life. This basket would be moved from room to room as someone was searching for a pair, my shins were constantly dinged off of it as I tried to ignore it and walk past.
That day I did indeed throw out all of the single socks but I failed to change my behaviours and today we have a different sock basket which is massive, the volume of single socks threatens to take over….they’re spilling onto the floor. The sock situation has gotten even worse than it was when it was driving me cray-crazy.
The Sock Basket Cannot Be Ignored
Roll with me for a moment on this sock basket analogy folks….today I’ll throw out the damned sock basket. It will be gone and I’ll feel all warm and fuzzy for a while.
Then the day will come, not so far in the future when I’ll be doing laundry and find a single sock. Without any thought I’ll put it aside to await it’s missing mate. This action will be without conscious thought but a reflex in response to my ingrained habit. I’ll wait the logical few loads and yet it won’t appear. That single sock shall sit there mocking me with each load.
This is the point of the quandary, will I fall into old habits and keep the sock or will I toss it?
For the love of all that’s reasonable I hope I’ll throw it out but chances are I’ll be inclined to set it aside again.
Habits Be Damned – I’m Making Changes
This is what a habit does. It’s a behaviour ingrained into our subconscious which allows thoughts to drive our actions faster than we often realize.
Another example is my food habit. Far too often I skip breakfast and by lunch I’m starving so I hurry into the kitchen like a raging bull, scrambling for sustenance. I bypass the healthy choices without even noticing them and grab a few slices of fatty-bum white bread, smear on butter and hunks of old cheddar sighing with relief with the first gluttonous bite.
I eat that sandwich, grab a diet coke and begin to feel a nagging sense of regret. My eyes travel over all of the lovely, fresh veggies available, the 12 grain breads, the turkey and the half gone brick of cheese and yet I stuff down those regrets and leave the room.
This is how I have ignored my behaviours in the past, just keep moving and then deal with it all once the socks are finally spilling out of the basket and the kids are going wacky trying to find a pair.
Today as I throw out the basket and plan a menu for the week, I’m vowing to slow down and one day at a time. I am slapping myself into being awake each day, to pay attention to my inclination to motor along ignoring things. With each single sock I’m tossing it, with each meal time I’m pre-planning and having some healthy choices on hand.
Chances are I’ll slip up but if I apply the tools I use with my recovery from alcoholism I’ll succeed in progress.
Today I seek progress, not perfection but dammit those single socks beware….your time is limited.
Oh man, there are days where I can so relate to you! And while we’re at it – do you wanna share your meal plan?
I sure will, I’ll write the overview tomorrow. It’s pretty simple, each day I’ll do fruit and yogurt at breakfast then lunch is something like an egg white omelette with salad and protein and veggies for dinner. Snacks will be veggies or soups…
Don’t want to bother with the single socks? If you haven’t thrown them out, I wonder if you could donate them to a Homeless Shelter?
All the Best with your Resolutions
ah a fine idea! I haven’t tossed them yet so I’ll bag them and drop them off.
Good for you, Julie! I am also hoping 2014 to be a year of change for me – and its a valuable lesson to learn, as you said, that every habit and behaviour we have needs to be replaced by another and re-learned to succeed! It’s not easy by any means…. I read a quote the other day: “Giving up because you had one set back is like slashing 3 tires because you had one flat.”.. It’s inevitable that there will be setbacks and it’s hard to remember that that is normal!
Good luck in your journey :)
What a great analogy! I’m going to share that and write it down for myself. Let’s do this together
I just wear missed matched ones hehe
hehehe we do too many days
Need to do something with my odd socks. I am also working on a new meal plan. For supper plate half veggies, the other half gains and protein.
I have a sock problem too Julie! I’m very hard on anything that goes on my feet, all my socks have holes in the heel. I tell myself I’m going to throw them out when I’m done folding the clothes but they always end up back in my drawer despite having perfectly good ones already there! It’s absolutely true about needing another habit in order to drop an old one!
We had 2 baskets worth of socks. Last month we said screw it and threw out every sock in this house. We then went out and bought each family member 7 days worth of socks that are all the same.
At the risk of encouraging your sock hoarding, you might want to save 2 or 3, for a new use. Take a few that don’t have holes, fill them 2/3 full with uncooked rice or small beans, and sew them shut. Use them like bean bags for a base for your camera, or to prop up things during your photo shoots. THEN get rid of the rest of them ;-)
Great idea Wendy, and don’t worry somehow we ALWAYS have extra socks…
Oh my goodness! Did this ever strike a chord with me just now.
Yes! Changes. Change is hard. I know it’s good and I know, for me, it’s necessary, but gosh darn it, it is hard!
My kiddos wear mismatched socks and it used to drive me crazy, but then I realized it didn’t matter. It makes them happy and it maybe even shows their uniqueness a bit. So I have learned to let it go.
MY habits are the ones that need monitoring. I am a perpetual work in progress.
This is my year! I have to believe it!
Fit in Fifteen is one of my goals. Now if I can just get the stOOpid habits out of the way and let the changes have centre stage I will feel so accomplished!
This IS your year!!!!