It has been proved that “21-Days” habit forming spiel is a personal development myth. Maxwell Maltz, a plastic surgeon of the 1950s noticed a strange pattern among his patients. When Dr. Maltz performed an operation like a nose job, for example, he found that it would take the patient about 21 days to get used to seeing the new face. He also observed his own adjustment period to changes and new behaviors to conclude that it took him about 21 days to form a new habit. Hence, he wrote,
“These, and many other commonly observed phenomena tend to show that it requires a minimum of about 21 days for an old mental image to dissolve and a new one to jell.”
This influenced several self-help professionals from Zig Ziglar to Brian Tracy to Tony Robbins who selectively shortened his quote saying “It takes 21 days to form a new habit.” Thus, the common myth was formed that it takes 21 days to form a new habit spread. However, whether the “21 days” habit forming spiel is a myth or truth as James says,
“The only way to get to Day 500 is to start with Day 1.”
Doing a particular thing for an hour for 30 days gives you at least 30 hours of useful time. A 30-Day challenge is a traceable unit of time – neither too long nor too short. During a TED Talk, Matt Cutts says,
“…instead of the months flying by, forgotten, the time was (can be) much more memorable.”
What can you do for one hour for 30 days?
1. Do the Doodle
Doodling is an under-appreciated adult activity. Sunni Brown, a doodling advocate calls it a problem-solving tool. Neuroscience supports the brain enhancing effects of doodling and drawing. William Klemm, a professor of neuroscience at Texas A&M University: “This is a way to get your working memory to carry more.”
Liz Gilbert chimes in as she says: “If I am not actively creating something, I am probably actively destroying something- myself, a relationship or my own peace of mind.”
When you have to create something every day, you will have to become more observant. You will have to look for problems, stories, nice pictures, conflicts, paradoxes, all the interesting things that make life, in order to have the material for your creations. When you become more observant, you will become more mindful.
2. Cook before you eat
Cooking is meditation with the promise of a good meal afterward. One obvious link between cooking and mental health is nutrition. It’s easier to control the quality of your diet when you prepare much of the food yourself. And there’s growing recognition that choosing a high-quality diet plays a major role in keeping your brain healthy. Ellen Kanner, author of Feeding the Hungry Ghost says,
“[Cooking] a nourishing, centering act that gets me to slow down and focus.”
When you’re focusing on the moment, you’re not ruminating over past slights or worrying about future problems. Mindfulness also helps reduce stress and promotes greater gusto for life.
3. An Hour Long Walk
Walking is the easiest way to start an exercise routine. Apart from the physical benefits, walking keeps the brain healthy. Researchers from Stanford also found that walking is among the easiest ways to boost creativity.
Walking opens up the free flow of ideas, and it is a simple and robust solution to the goals of increasing creativity and increasing physical activity.
With an hour long walk for 30 days, you would have moved 30 hours ahead towards a healthy body as well as a healthy mind. You’re more likely to feel happier this way.
4. Think – how was your day?
An hour long talk with yourself can be a beneficial way of self-learning. Analyzing your day – think what worked, what could have been done better, etc will make you understand yourself better. This will not only make your next day a better one but you would get time to understand yourself too.
You would be able to inspire yourself each day. Those who are inspired are happier, nicer, productive and more confident. Know yourself better than anybody else knows you!
Visualizing and analyzing upon goals is one of the main factors that has brought success to many. Practicing this process every day will bring you great success and improve your life.
5. Spend time with friends, family
Time is not always measured with numbers. Dedicate one hour of a day for friends, family or somebody else for 30 days. You will see yourself surrounded by happiness. You will get new thoughts and ideas from different people. You might even make a difference in their lives.
Choosing among these challenges for an hour and continuing them for 30 days will not only make a difference in you but even in your surroundings. You will see the facets of your life improve. You will be able to reflect and understand yourself better. Following a single routine for 30 days is less likely to face failure.