When I started Daily Contemplations, I was fully psyched up about putting my thoughts into words and seeing concrete ideas form out of my mental chaos. The first couple of weeks went reasonably well. Then I started missing a day here and a day there, but I managed to get back to writing quickly enough. Then came a gap of a week, couple of new posts, then another week of nothing and this trend has just continued.

Whenever we start something new (that does not come under the instant gratification category), most of us find it hard to make a regular habit out of it. Research studies show that the highest point in the process of new resolutions or habits is the beginning moment – when you make the commitment. You feel hopeful, optimistic and good about yourself. Then comes the valley of “insight”- diminishing will power, vulnerability to temptations, physical or mental challenges. This is the space where a lot of us quit. For those who manage to wade through this bit and come out on the other side, the activity has become a habit – something you no longer need to expend will power for.

Now, there are two ways to go about this problem.

• Figure out the barriers – the ones which are making it difficult for us to continue the activity we committed to – and then think of simple solutions to navigate them
• Identify the bright spots – recall the times when we managed to follow the resolution and spot the things that made it easier for us

In my case, the main issues I have identified are

• I have been trying to write in the morning instead of in the night, but never get up early enough to do it. And because I already failed in my resolution to write in the morning, failing to write in the night again does not seem as big.
• I am not easily satisfied and I search around for the right words to use. And this gets stronger as I write more and more. Knowing the effort and time I need to put in becomes a deterrent.
• And then there are the usual temptations of course – TV shows, books, sleep.

As for my bright spots,

• I found that I managed to write regularly when using the WordPress mobile app which allows me to write on the go. Making a start while travelling makes the task seem easier to finish when I get back to it later.
• I work better when I am surrounded by people also working on their own things.

Today, I have decided to tackle three of the points I mentioned above.

• Since I didn’t manage to write today morning again, I took my laptop with me when I left my house in the evening for some other work. Knowing that I had brought my laptop specifically for this makes it harder to not feel bad about skipping writing, even if it is night-time now.
• I am seated in a university study area, surrounded by students, so that I am more motivated to write.
• And not having free wifi means I can’t be tempted by videos either.

This is only the first day of hacking though the “insight valley” though and it will be a long time before I come out on the other end. But I hope that identifying my issues / bright spots and putting them down in words here will help me to continue on this path. I hope to come back with another post later where I can talk about how I managed to make a lasting habit out of this.