Everyday / Most Days / Some Days

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The idea of doing something everyday is a romantic notion for me. Even as I type this on 750words.com, I fantasize about seeing the blocks at the top all filled in by my own commitment to return back here everyday.

Let me be honest to say, they are not all filled in. It's the 6th of the month and I've only been here twice since this month and our new year began.

I've paid enough attention to notice that my desire for streaks and unbroken records is one I need to balance on the razor's edge of motivating myself to keep showing up and being kind when my behaviors don't add up to perfection.

Which they don't. Hardly ever.

But maybe if I shift my idea to perfection from unbroken streaks to the art of being consistently inconsistent I can break the illusion that perfection is a thing to be achieved by me (or anyone else in my life who I may knowingly or not hold to these impossible standards).

2021 brings with it the promise of new patterns and behaviors. Our old structures are being tested, those that no longer work are being slowly dismantled, we are left to pick up what is still useful and let go of what isn't.

So as much as I'd love to say I'm going to show up here on this blog everyday, I can be honest to say I'm not.

However, 2020 was such a great teacher and one thing I learned is that there are a few things that when done on some kind of regular basis, provide me with a stronger sense of self.

Here's me list of the things that I won't try to do everyday this year, nor even most days, but I will hold myself to doing, some of the days.

  • Write a blog (or just write in general)

  • Practice Guitar

  • Go for a walk in the park

  • Meditate

  • Write a daily poem

  • Practice piano

  • Read

  • Play in the Garden

I will admit now that I've written the list, I feel like doing these everyday is almost doable. But I won't hold myself to that.

There are a few things, however, that I am almost doing everyday. It might be worth listing them here:

  • Write my morning pages

  • Daydream

  • Cuddle my kitty

  • Be kind to myself

2021 for me is about breaking old patterns some of which are tied into the myth that value comes from hyper-productivity.

So the question is: when we strip away the compulsions to produce for the sake of some internal or external expectations of "should", what is left? What do we naturally do the way an animal doesn't question whether it will eat, clean, play, and nap?

What is on your Everyday / Most Days / Some Days list for this year?