experiment

By the time this post is published it will be 2013. A brand new year full of possibilities. Time to begin resolving to break some bad habits or maybe start a few new good habits. 
I don't know about everyone else, but I struggle to keep my resolutions. Actually, the only one that I was ever successful at was my resolution to start flossing my teeth on a daily basis. (Yes, I wasn't a daily flosser and I'm gross and so on and so on.) Resolutions tend to be big and daunting. I start out with great intentions. I'm going to eat healthier and exercise. I'm going to do more volunteer work. I'm going to be a more positive person. But the year is sooooo long and most of my resolutions have fizzled out before the end of the first month.
A few years ago though, I was introduced to the idea of experiments rather than resolutions. The idea is to take each month and try a different experiment. So instead of 365 days you end up with 31, at the longest. Much less daunting.
I took the idea and ran with it. I wouldn't say I did anything earth-shattering, but I learned some new skills, I challenged myself and I felt like I accomplished something. I don't remember every month but I know that I spent one month:

 

-eating vegetarian (got some great recipes out of that one)

-waking up early every day to have my quiet time (that one stuck!)

-learning how to sew, sort of (took a class and did a few projects)

-reading only non-fiction books

-challenging myself to be more positive



 
Like I said, nothing earth-shattering. I just sat down and thought about areas of my life that I wanted to work on, things that I wanted to try, and places where I needed a little more discipline. I'm planning to try it again this year. And I just wanted to throw it out there as an alternative to those pesky resolutions. Break your year down and make each month a new challenge, something to look forward to. Oh, and may I suggest that if there is something you really need to work on but aren't looking forward to that you try it out during February. Nothing wrong with doing your least fun thing on the shortest month. That's called logic my friends. Embrace it.

photo by: spike55151  http://www.flickr.com/photos/spike55151/444102311/