4 Things to Know About Changing Habits

I’ve been trying something new on Tuesdays for the past eight years. It’s been a  journey of changing habits, getting out of my comfort zone, and learning how to enjoy the seemingly mundane moments of my life. This November, I recapped my Try Something New Tuesdays on Instagram. In reflecting on them, I discovered an insightful pattern. Continue reading to learn four things to know about changing habits – inspired by Try Something New Tuesday. 

1. Get Out of Your Routine

How often do you go out on a Tuesday night? Often termed “a school night,” Tuesday evening adventures don’t usually get a lot of love. Justin wanted to see Vincent Neil Emerson, who was playing at the Grey Eagle in Asheville and my immediate thought was – “Oh, a Tuesday. Hmm.” As the date got closer I started thinking about: 

• How this was going to affect my sleep.
• If I would have enough energy to complete my projects the next day.
• What would happen to the rest of my week if I switched up my Tuesday default routine. 

All valid concerns, right? But then I leaned into my desire to appreciate Tuesdays. A first-time concert experience on a Tuesday was exactly what I was looking for. For the record, I think routines are great. I’m a huge cheerleader for identifying helpful morning, work, and evening routines. They help save mental energy and resources. But routines aren’t meant to replace experiencing your life. By stepping out of your daily routine, you’re reminded that you can choose how you want to experience your days. 

Routines aren’t meant to replace experiencing your life.

Trysomethingnewtuesday.com

2. It Doesn’t Have to Look Perfect

We moved from Denver, Colorado to adorable Black Mountain, North Carolina in September 2022, a little over a year ago as I’m writing this blog post. Back in Denver, our condo had a huge, fantastic master bathtub that I bonded with. 

Our new, Black Mountain home is gorgeous but doesn’t have a master bathtub. It has a normal-sized tub down the hall in a guest bathroom. This guest bathroom hasn’t gotten much decorating love since we moved, except for a new coat of paint. No mirror was put back up, no shower curtain hug, no decorations. Nothing that says, “Please come enjoy a relaxing bath.” Instead, it screams at me about my decorating insecurities. How this particular room hasn’t been a priority. 

So I’ve avoided it. Telling myself “I can’t take a bath, here! This isn’t what I want it to look like.” Until a crisp Tuesday in November, when I decided to look past the bathroom’s current imperfections that mirror my insecurities. And I enjoyed a lovely, relaxing bath that reminded me – my life doesn’t have to look perfect for me to enjoy it. The only thing stopping me from enjoying baths over the last year was me.

3. It Starts with the Stories We Tell Ourselves

I’ve been thinking a lot about worry, especially how normal it is and almost encouraged in our culture to worry about things. The saying “You don’t have to worry about that” implies that you should be worrying about everything else. That sounds like an exhausting way to live life. 

Inspired by Dr. Elissa Epel’s The Stress Prescription, I tried my first “worry window” experience on a Tuesday. Here’s how the “worry window” concept works:

How to Try a Worry window

1.  At the start of your day, set a timer for 10 minutes and write out all of your worries.
2. As worries pop up throughout the day, tell yourself, “Hello dear self, please hold that thought. It’s not your window.”
3. At the end of the day, revisit your worry window, writing down additional worries and smiling at the worries that didn’t come true.  

During my Tuesday “worry window” test pilot, I was amazed that my mind actually did pause the worry thought spirals. It felt like I had more energy and space for clear thinking and ease throughout my day. It was a great reminder and echo from Seth Godin that we can rewrite the stories we tell ourselves. 

If I play a worry on repeat, I’m going to live a day that feels full of worries. And if my day feels full of worries, I’m not going to want to live it. I’m going to check out by distracting myself with unintentional email opens and social media scrolling. Instead of telling myself that it’s okay to worry about spiraling, I want to tell myself a different story. When you think about a habit that you want to change, what story are you telling yourself about it?

4. You CAN Start Today

I’ve spent most of my adult life eating lunch behind a work project. Starting in college where I wrote essays and research papers while I ate. Nowadays I respond to emails or draft an advertising strategy for a client. 

This is why Cheryl K. Johnson’s concept from her book Box Lunch Lifestyle is so intriguing to me. The idea is to use your 30-minute lunch break (that almost everyone in the US workforce has), Monday through Friday, to eat a healthy lunch and work on something you’re passionate about.  

Although I’m still halfway through the book, I decided last Tuesday to try it. Because quite frankly, the thought of not doing something while I eat lunch sounds terrifying. Like the world will end or my workday will blow up. 

How to Practice a Box lunch lifestyle

The steps to a Box Lunch Lifestyle take a little prep work but are quite simple to implement:  

1. Enjoy a healthy (e.g. not-processed) lunch that you prepared (this can and should be prepared in advance). 
2. Set a timer for 15 minutes and eat your lunch without distractions (including reading, or staring at a computer or phone screen).
3. Once you’ve finished eating, use the next 15 minutes to work on a second-place dream or project (e.g. learning a language, writing a book, knitting a sweater, playing with watercolors). 

By cultivating this habit you’re practicing mindfulness during the day, actually enjoying your lunch, and empowering yourself to live and think outside of your job. When I practiced this routine for Try Something New Tuesday, I was amazed. Instead of lunch feeling like an inconvenience that I had to squeeze in. I enjoyed it. I looked at my food while I ate manageable bites. I watched birds eat their lunch too and leftover fall leaves dance their way into winter. Instead of my workday feeling out of control, it felt calmer. I had the clarity to jump back into my to-do list without tripping over my thoughts. 

And that took place on a Tuesday after a holiday. When it felt impossible to take a break; between meeting invites and deadlines. Because wherever you find yourself saying “I can’t,” is a great place to lean in and remind yourself that “you can.“

Wherever you find yourself saying “I can’t,” is a great place to lean in and remind yourself that “you can.”

trysomethingnewtuesday.com

conclusion

Our habits influence how we live our lives. From the stories we tell ourselves to small or large actions we take. By trying something new every Tuesday, I’m learning that habits can be fun and life-giving to other areas of my life. Looking for more insights on changing your habits? Follow me on Instagram at @TuesdaysWithO. What habits have you been longing to change? Share them below!