This Year I Will: Mistakes

[BookClubEditor]

M. J. writes about learning from your mistakes rather than giving up when you blow it (you promised to work out 30 minutes a day and you haven't done it in 2 weeks). What lessons have you learned from mistakes in your life? How has this helped you get back on track? When you're trying to keep your momentum going about a new habit, what works to help you stay focused?

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[cseelman]

I really liked M.J.'s chapter "Don't Despair: Understand the Three Stages of Learning" starting on page 131. The stages are POST-HOC (completing old behavior and realizing after its completed that you want to make a change), AD-HOC (completing old behavior even though during the behavior I've realized I want to make a change), and PRE-HOC (completing the new behavior instead of the old).

Lately I've been finding myself in AD-HOC. This is the stage where you remember the new habit you want to cultivate, but you do the old behavior instead. It's the time when I'm past the unconscious doing of the old habit (POST-HOC) to the conscious doing of the old habit. So, I eat the milk-chocolate candy even though I know I've had my allottment of sweets for the day.

I'm going back to review my motivators so next time, I hopefully will have moved to PRE-HOC!!

Does this make sense? I feel that I'm in the throws of the Monday-morning ramblings!!

[caroline88]

Carol, you make a lot of sense. Understanding the stages of learning is a great help in being more supportive of ourselves. Our brains often confuse us by thinking that all it takes is one (New Year or other) resolution and the new habit is launched!

Caroline

[cseelman]

Thanks, Caroline. When my brain is foggy, like this past Monday, I never know if my writing makes sense!

I just want to share with everyone that my swimming is going very well. I've been practicing 5 days a week. Today, the lifeguard at the pool came over to me and said - "you are ready for the deep end!" That statement was such a confirmation for me. Now, I just need to tackle my fear of deep water, and I'll be able to do laps - YES!

The reason I'm so excited about swimming is that it's an important part of my exercise program - which is a really important part of my weight-loss plan. I have pretty bad arthritis so swimming is great - no stress to the joints!

Anyone else having success with their action plans??

[MJRyan]

We need a new word for when we don't do it perfectly as we're learning. All we have are negative words like mess-up, screw up, make mistakes, etc. But to learn ANYTHING we have to give up the idea we'll do it perfectly.

We're looking for persistence, not perfection!!!

[caroline88]

Life learning moments? Or "times of incredible inspiration"?
I make it my business to avoid using the M word. I do make 'em but I do not give them extra power by calling them by their name.

Caroline