Jar of Ten
There are two things you may or may not know about me:
1) I have a hard time being consistent
2) I’m a girl who loves a project
A project requires planning and creativity (love), presents challenges that require problem solving (love), gives one a sense of purpose (love) and when you reach the end you can sit back and enjoy the result (love). Then you get to start all over with the next project (LOVE)!
My struggle with consistency is that it doesn’t check any of those happy boxes. Being consistent requires discipline and commitment, virtues that seem to have been misplaced somewhere within my cellular make-up.
But I do know from experience that consistency can be extremely rewarding. For example, regularly meditating or journaling makes me feel so much better. Ditto with exercising, practicing any beloved skill (guitar, vocals, dance) and staying on top of life’s chores.
I’ve been remiss in my good habits lately and have felt the need for a project to help me, so the other day while stretching after dance class this thought popped into my head: you need to make a Jar of Ten.
What the heck, you ask? Let me explain.
When working with clients on journaling or meditation, I advocate practicing with a timer and starting with a very do-able amount of time, usually 10 minutes. I believe that 10 minutes a day can create a big shift. I also believe that specificity yields the best results. Be clear on the task at hand and use those 10 minutes exclusively for that task.
So the Jar of Ten is simply a tool (dressed up as a project) to get me to spend 10 minutes a day doing things that serve me well.
Here is what I did:
1) I typed out 30 specific things. For example:
Do a Mantra meditation
Journal with the prompt: I remember when …
Play & sing 3 songs
Plank, Bridge, Side Plank, Cobra REPEAT
Pick a pile of papers and sort, sort, sort 🙂
2) I printed the list, then cut each item into a strip that I folded and placed in a pretty jar
3) For the next 30 days I will reach into the jar, select one item and do that “thing” for 10 minutes (in most cases using a timer to keep me accountable).
Simple and fun, right?!? It has purpose (I have to do my 10 minutes!), mystery (what will I choose today?), challenges (10 minutes of strength poses … what was I thinking??) and just enough inconsistent consistency to assure my success!
Most importantly it combines one of my favorite things with one of my biggest struggles. Can we use our strengths to overcome our weaknesses? Yes. I think we can.
I encourage you to join me! It doesn’t have to be my crazy (awesome) Jar of Ten, though I’d love to have you along. It can be any self-nourishing project that gives you a boost, sparks your creativity or helps you to DO those things you know will serve you well. Whatever it is be specific and aim for 30 days to give you a clear timeline.
AND be sure to tell me about it so I can cheer you on!!
