When Research Overpowers Action

Desperate for a new shift in life’s routine? I found myself, yet again searching for answers. Endless hours of google research and Youtube binge-watching. It seems like this happens in cycles but that’s another story. I have done a lot of reflecting on where my life is currently and dove deep for answers. Time went on, research continued and I spent more time reading about change and not “being the change.” My motivation to improve health and wellness extended to the end of the article and or video I’d watch then like a match, it fizzled. I had to make sure I put time aside to make the adjustments I sought for my daily routine. Overwhelmed with self-help information I was unsure what to do with it all. Rediscovering what kind of learner I am. I am a visual learner, as are many, and so I decided to find a way to facilitate change through this known fact about myself. Here is what I acquired in the process of introducing new things learned into my daily routine.

When reading something new I would take a mental note and or sometimes write it down in my journal then eventually forget all about it. Currently, I am using a dry erase calendar board and I make a schedule for the month. I have tried using my calendar on my phone and also have made notes in a planner; it didn’t work. Before I knew it, the month would be gone and no notable change had taken place. My daily routine already included working full-time, wife, and mother as well. So, a few months ago, I decided to purchase a dry erase calendar and I hung it in a place where I will see it. I hung it in the bathroom. Now, we all know you cannot get away without visiting this area at some point right. My outcome so far has been a success. I have incorporated a health and fitness plan along with adding a day to pamper myself at least once a week. I am finally making the progress I have been wanting.

I realized I started to live and spend more time focusing on the progress I had made throughout the week. While I have stayed moderately active I was not consistent in my routine. Since adding yoga was a new addition to my daily morning routine I have stayed accountable by marking my calendar. A visual board placed in a spot where I know I will visit daily has been the game-changer for me. I also am able to track my hair care routine as well. Let me tell you that my hair is thankful for the added attention it has been receiving. Sunday evening hair care routines have revived my dry and brittle hair. So, I track my progress on the extra things I’ve added by counting the days I performed each task. Once the end of the month is done. I tally my progress on the side of the board and compare it to the numbers I’ve accumulated from the month before. I can see the change and it motivates me to increase in the areas my numbers were low. The dry erase calendar was able to help integrate the new tasks. Through this, I was able to see how the information I’ve gathered has and will continue to positively impact my life by putting in the work

We can spend so much time in our phones reading and listening to testimonies about how something has worked for others. What happens when you get stuck in that research mode? Absolutely nothing. I don’t know about you but I find pleasure in discovering new things. I am impacted more so when I’ve put action towards incorporating it into my life. So, if you can’t remember anything you’ve just read please remember to “Take action and hold yourself accountable! Its the only way you will find out what works.”