Thursday July 26 Thursday, Jul 26 2007

Well my 30 day trial is going well (nasal irrigation) it’s working beautifully and I’m definitely going to keep it ip. But it’s not aligned with my goals. Also, it’s not a significant enough lifestyle change. Doing something like meditating every morning, or getting 8 hours sleep every night is something that takes more commitment and more effort, and will produce actual, noticeable differences in my life. So what are some important habits for me to reach my social goals?

• Sleep 8 hours a night – It’s important to be well rested to be pleasant and fun to be around.
• Meditation in the morning – It’s important to be happy and relaxed
• Writing out my goals in the morning – It’s important to stay focussed on what I want
• Writing out what I learnt that day at night
• Read for 30 minutes a day on communication skill building
• Play my guitar and sing for 30 minutes a day

Rules

• Reply immediately to messages for social invitations
• Never turn down an invitation unless there’s a really good reason
• Start conversations with people at every opportunity

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Tuesday July 24 Tuesday, Jul 24 2007

Today I got a lot done from my to-do list, but felt a little tired, and didn’t get a lot of personal development done.

My project is progressing, I’m reading a lot of stuff on colour coordination, body type, hairstyle etc. Some actions I need to take:

• Remove all old/non-fitting/bad coloured clothes from my wardrobe
• Go to shops and ask for advice from the female shop assistants
• Determine the image I’d like to project
• Make a list of items that I need

I’m thinking that I might let my hair grow out. I’ve got thick, wavy hair and I think it would look good longer.

I’m starting a new 30 day trial today: Nasal irrigation every time I brush my teeth (i.e. twice a day) for 30 days.

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Monday July 23 Monday, Jul 23 2007

Well, as of today, this blog is taking it’s latest twist. It’s taken a few so far, I certainly subscribe to the ready, fire, aim (yes, Pavlina again) approach.

This blog is now a combination of my projects and my 30 day trials. Let me ’splain: (I think I’m turning into him)

Project: equals something that will need a combination of research and implementation. There is no set time limit to a project, it simply runs until I decide that I have achieved my objectives. I’ll start out each project with my project objectives, and most importantly, why I have decided on this particular project and what it will do to move me towards being my best self. For example, my first project will be to get my style together. I will work on my presentation, the image I project to the external world.

30 day trial: Go to www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/04/30-days-to-success/ for the idea. Basically, this is a way of integrating a new habit into my daily routine. This differs from a project because it is something that I can implement immediately that I believe will improve my quality of life.

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Saturday July 21 – 30 day trials Saturday, Jul 21 2007

I’ve been neglecting this blog for the last few days, partly because I’ve been flat out at work, partly because I lack discipline (Arnie voice).

I’m having trouble staying motivated and focussing on my goal. I think a good way to get myself out of this pattern (which is certainly not new) is to start integrating life habits that will support goal achievement and personal development. These are habits I can incorporate by doing 30 day trials Credit: Steve Pavlina). Here is a list of 30 day trials that look good to me:

• Get up at the same time every day
• Exercise first thing in the morning
• Shower after exercise
• Learn a new word every day
• Dress well
• Nasal Irrigation
• Write a new blog entry every day
• Write my goals out every day
• Visualise my day
• Write a to do list
• Read a book that interests me
• Read a personal development book
• Read a fiction book
• Have a good friendly conversation with someone
• Start a conversation with a stranger
• Ask someone out on a date
• Get a new album
• Go out every evening
• Listen to motivational audio
• Spend 30 minutes writing about my daily lessons
• Have a self-conversation in my journal
• Recount a significant life event in my journal
• Write a post on Steve Pavlina’s forum every day
• Meditate
• Practice my singing
• Practice the guitar
• Learn and/or analyse a song
• Write a song
• Work on a speech
• Monitor my diet
• Write a journal entry
• Clean or organise something

Ok here are my rules: 30 day trials can be concurrent, but there must be a minimum ten day period in between starting new trials. There can never be more than two running at the same time. I say this because I’m prone to setting plans that only an android could execute (Pavlina again). It’s very important for me to keep my plans simple and easy to execute. There will be no excuses! As for the 21 Habits I’ve already posted – I’ll continue to research them and do posts on how to achieve them on this blog, in the order I’ve posted. In all likelihood they will spawn 30 day trials to add to this list as I go. It’s better I think to pick options as I go rather than have a set plan and order and timeframe on how I’m going to achieve my goals. My goal remains the same, my plan of attack is highly flexible.

Obviously, doing one of these trials doesn’t mean I neglect other things, It’s just the thing I concentrate on the most and write about on this blog. For an indefinite period, this blog is the record of my 30 day trials.

I’ll simply pick items off this list at my leisure and start one that looks appealing. This list is by no means exhaustive. I’ll modify/augment it as I go, and I may use 30 day trials that aren’t (yet) on this list.

I am currently on my tenth day of a thirty day trial of nasal irrigation, so tomorrow I can start a new one (While obviously continuing the nasal irrigation one for another twenty days). An obvious one would be getting up at the same time every day, but I’m going to Pennsylvania in three weeks, which has a 12 hour time difference to my home city of Perth, Western Australia. So my next 30 day trial will be reading a book that interests me. I’ll start with “Impro” by Kenneth Johnstone. If I find a book is boring me, I’ll move on. The key for this trial is to be absorbed in a fascinating topic for 30 minutes a day.

Until Tomorrow!

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Tuesday July 17 Tuesday, Jul 17 2007

Today I was bad. I did my morning exercise, but I was on a site visit all day for work and then I played a gig tonight so I didn’t get time to work on my project or even do my reading. Naughty. I got a pretty low score on my habit tracker today. I’ll make up for it tomorrow!

 Until then.

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Monday July 16 Monday, Jul 16 2007

Today I exercised first thing. After work, I did my habit research and posted my action steps for habit 2. I’ll read for half an hour before I go to sleep. My habit tracker is now in use. I’ll post my weekly scores every Sunday, so you’ll have to wait until then (yes, you, my loyal fanbase) for that little gem. Basically I just track my good habits every day, and assign a score to each one according to it’s importance. I’ve tried to keep it as simple as possible.

 On Sunday I bought a goal journal to re-write my goals every morning and to assist with visualisation.

“Take what you can from your dreams. Make them as real as anything. It will take the work out of the Courage.” – Dave Matthews (Grey St. on Busted Stuff)

Until tomorrow!

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Saturday July 14 Saturday, Jul 14 2007

Today I slept in late, and then got up and did my stretches and exercise. I researched methods to get rid of dry lips (which I get mildly) in the afternoon, and then read “The Famished Road” in the late afternoon (I’ll have finished it by tomorrow). I also did a De Bono creativity exercise, and a journal entry. I have all these different places that I write, and in my journal I clarified my purpose for each of these different writing media. The purpose of this blog is to record and plan the specific actions in my personal development.

My dry lips research fed me a lot of conflicting advice. Most of the advice I found on the popular advice sites advise the regular use of lip balm, but still others claim the chemicals in the lip balm damage and dry out your lips. I’ll continue my research and post my new habit on Monday.

Today I also came up with a new accountability system to track my habit creations. I’ll post that here on Monday as well.

Cheers.

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Friday July 13 Saturday, Jul 14 2007

Today I didn’t exercise, and I didn’t read. I payed for it though, I felt pretty crappy.

I have resolved not to beat myself up about anything over the course of my development. I have resolved to improving as a person and I will continually achieve that. Self discipline and motivation is simply a part of my development.

I did get a new bulb for my nasal irrigation though, and it worked wonders! It took me by surprise a bit the first time, but sure enough it flushed out my sinuses and came out my other nostril. It’s a good feeling! I’ll keep it up.

I did follow my habit creation today, only veg and nuts and bread until the evening meal, I drank plenty of water, and brushed my teeth and scraped my tongue twice, flossed once. I also read another couple of online articles on post nasal drip. I’ll move on to moist lips tomorrow or on Monday.

Tomorrow I will exercise, read and start researching moist lips. I’ll also cross some things off my pre-travel to do list.

Until tomorrow!

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Thursday July 12 Thursday, Jul 12 2007

I got up at 6:30am and did my stretching and exercises. I also followed my habit creation blueprint today with pleasing results (see Habit 1 in habits section). One thing I did notice was my quite severe post nasal drip. This is cited as a cause of bad breath, and while I don’t have bad breath, by focussing on the freshness of my breath after reading about it, I noticed that I have it (post nasal drip) quite bad. This makes sense, as I have been diagnosed with allergic rhinitis. I have for as long as I can remember had these dark circles underneath my eyes, as if somebody’s punched me in the nose. My doctor told me this is caused by the congestion of my sinuses due to my allergy (to alternaria mold). I’m having allergy de-sensitisation injections, but it hasn’t helped with the black eyes.

Through my research on bad breath, I stumbled across an ancient technique called nasal irrigation (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nasal-lavage/MM00552) which looks like it may be the cure for my problem! Hopefully by establishing this as a daily habit, I can get rid of my nasal congestion, my post-nasal drip and my eye circles.

I’m going to do this every morning for 30 days as part of my fresh breath habit. I’ll take a photo of my eyes every now and then so I can track my progress.

I did my first one just now. I didn’t find that the water came out of my mouth or other nostril. I think that it’s just too clogged up. I felt like it penetrated my sinuses just a little. Hopefully with perseverance I’ll be able to clear out my sinuses. This should make me feel better, make breathing easier, and help my singing! Sounds good.

I read for 45 minutes at lunchtime (The Famished Road), and my post nasal irrigation research and experiment will count as my personal devlopment project for the day.

 I also thought of some daily rituals – I won’t wake up without exercising and then writing my to do list and re-writing my goals. I won’t start my work day without writing a to do list. I won’t leave the office without tidying my desk. I won’t go to sleep in a messy room. So there.

Cheers!

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Wednesday July 11 Wednesday, Jul 11 2007

Ok I need some structure to my days!

I have one month before I leave my home city of Perth, Western Australia for Penn State University in the USA, and I have many things I want to achieve in that time:

• I want to be prepared for my trip (obviously)
• I want to have played a couple of gigs and recorded some songs with this band that I’m getting together
• I want to write a top quality report for my professional practicum on the engineering project I’ve been working on for the last eight months
• I want to have progressed in the manifestation of my intention (the girlfriend one). I’ll do this by doing “overwhelming force” and establishing each of my 21 habits with a 30 day trial. I’ve read plenty now about fresh breath, I just need to start applying it:

Today I read in the evening, did some more research in the later evening, and I didn’t exercise (two days in a row!!!). This is because I have no structure. So here’s my structure:

6:30am: Wake up, have a big glass of water, stretch, do calisthenics routine.

7:00am: Rewrite my goals in my journal, write my to do list for the day. I’ll try to cross at least off one item per day off my travel preparation to do list. Visualise my goal…

7:20am: Eat breakfast: cereal. Make myself lunch with no meat or fish or onion or garlic, plenty of veg, bring a piece of fruit to work as well. Bring parsley to chew on.

7:35am: Shower, brush teeth thoroughly, scrape tongue, rinse with water (not mouthwash).

7:50am: dress (already layed out from previous night)

8:00am: Leave for the train station

8:30am – 5:30pm: At work. Try and work on daily project (researching how to create the necessary habits to reach my goal) during lunch hour if possible. Drink 3 litres of water, don’t eat any sugar.

6:00pm – 10:00pm: do what I need to do, jam, read, project, go out, whatever. Be sure to get clothes ready for the next day.

10:00pm – 10:30pm: Read

10:30pm: Sleep

 Key ideas: Must exercise first thing in the morning to get myself moving! very important. Once energised, decide what I’m going to do that day to get closer to my goals.

Read at night to wind down.

Implement any 30 day trials.

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