BernetteI was thinking about this idea of consistency. We hear it all the time. Be consistent because there is power in consistency. But what does it actually mean? When you think about it for your own life? I can admit that I struggle with it. But not like some people may think. I am very project oriented. I like having a goal and reaching it. I start just about every day at 0. It’s the way I’m wired. That’s why Duo Lingo motivates me. It’s probably related to my ability (is it a good thing?) to hyperfocus and be able to energetically work from the time I wake to the time I sleep if I’m doing something like writing, a website, designing graphics, or consuming information. As I said, is it a good thing?
I’d argue that it can be, within reason. However, at times I’ve allowed myself to get outside of reason. So when I think about being consistent I think about avoiding the idea of perfection or 100%. Seeking perfection is dangerous for me. It puts me into a mode that can be unhealthy.
Sometimes when people think about being consistent they think about doing something with 100% compliance. Showing up 7 of 7 days or building that habit for 21 or 30 days without missing a day. It leaves little room for grace or being human.
In my opinion, consistency is an energy that says, “and…again…” It says, I’m going to get up today and do this for me.
Consistency with No Guilt, But Grace
And when tomorrow comes there is no guilt or judgment but rather the idea that I’m going to get up again and do this for me. And again. And again. And then that day comes when you slept like crap, your belly hurts, you’ve got a migraine, or the day is so full there is legitimately no time. And you know what? You don’t do it that day. (And don’t let some internet a-hole tell you to just be better organized or that you aren’t motivated. You’re human and probably juggling a million things already before somebody threw a dancing elephant at you to juggle too. Go easy on yourself. Stressing yourself out only makes things worse.)
And Again…
But the next day you wake up and without judgment, you look in the mirror tell yourself how much you love you and how proud you are of you and you do that thing you do for you again. It doesn’t mean you aren’t consistent because you missed a day. The proof of consistency is that you came back to do the thing you do for you…again…and again… Until you know that when you miss one day, it’s just a day and that you are going to show up for yourself again and you aren’t going to let one day slide into three or a week because you know you’re worth showing up for. The habit of showing up teaches us that we’re worth it. We begin to see it and feel it and believe it. You are worth it.
Yeah, that’s all I want to say I guess. Honey, you’re worth it.
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