Small goals can be good goals
May 18, 2018 11:08 AM   Subscribe

What small habits/goals/activities do you have for yourself that keep you engaged with life and doing new things?

It's been a while since I've had little goals for myself to keep me feeling like I'm learning and growing. I need more things to look forward to and push myself towards, so that I have some sense of accomplishment even when other things feel like they suck. Even silly little things that most people might not think of as an accomplishment, like going to a new coffee shop instead of my usual one, or creative things like doodling a cartoon.

examples:
-try one new recipe
-read a chapter / article
-write someone a postcard
-run a lap around the park
-find a writing prompt and write a <8 line poem

Hope this isn't chatfilter. Looking for little ways to add some positivity to my life when I'm down. You all are the best :)
posted by switcheroo to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (19 answers total) 65 users marked this as a favorite
 
A friend and I did a breakfast tour of every breakfast restaurant in my side of town. It was really fun to plan and check out all the places and compare them to find our favorites. I think I might do a coffee tour next to check out all the coffee shops.

I try to spend at least ten minutes a day on my front porch, listening to the birds and watching the seasons come in.

The Mefi Card Club is really fun and a low-pressure way to send and receive cards from other mefites. You can sign up for just one card or several each month. I like dropping things in the mail and sending whatever I like. I tend to just send postcards.
posted by mochapickle at 11:34 AM on May 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


I do at least one Spanish lesson on Duolingo each day (it keeps track of your "streak" which helps reinforce the habit, and there are tons of languages available). A lesson takes me under 5 minutes usually.
posted by geegollygosh at 11:45 AM on May 18, 2018 [7 favorites]


I am trying to visit every branch of the city library, check out four books, and read three of them. I also try to eat somewhere near the library if there's anything interesting at all.
posted by batter_my_heart at 12:04 PM on May 18, 2018 [3 favorites]


I am very much a re-reader/re-watcher of media. I will happily read the same several books over and over and over, watch the same movie every Saturday morning for a month, etc.

Last year I decided a way I could get myself to branch out a little more was to make a goal of reading books that had been turned into movies. I love movies, right? I love hearing the same story twice, right? PERFECT PLAN. Even though I'm always reading, last year I read a LOT MORE new-to-me books than I had in ages. It was a nice little project(? is that the right word?) for me.
posted by phunniemee at 12:11 PM on May 18, 2018


Here are some of mine:

Listen to my Discover Spotify playlist to branch out and listen to new-to-me music (since I tend to get stuck on the same things a lot.)

Walk a different path home or to the grocery store and try to be really mindful of plants and animals and interesting little details.

"Saying Yes to life" which is when someone invites me to do something that my introverted self would typically not want to do, like go out for a drink on a work night, and instead of moaning to myself about wanting to be at home, I say YES and then do it. (this does not work when people ask me to do things like go line-dancing, my answer then is still noooooooooooooope.)

This is a really silly one and shows how over-controlled my life can be at times, but I have started in the last 6 months or so to just agree without any discussion/argument to whatever my partner wants to watch or listen to, since she picks very different things than I ever would, and I then have the experience of something new.

I also did a challenge last year or the year before which was to have a bunch of friends give me 1 book and 1 musician to listen to - the only criteria was that it had to be one that I had never read or listened to before. That was really cool and I would definitely do it again, maybe even with restaurants, events, places.
posted by fairlynearlyready at 12:21 PM on May 18, 2018 [6 favorites]


I'm doing Headspace, a guided meditation app, right now. I love it so far, but I'm only on day 12. It takes as little as 3 minutes for the first ten days, but on the second ten days the shortest option is ten minutes.

I also try to journal a little bit most days, with varying success when it comes to sticking to it. I find it useful, but ymmv.
posted by hought20 at 12:43 PM on May 18, 2018 [3 favorites]


I try to send one social invite a week.
posted by advicepig at 12:46 PM on May 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


My husband & I go to a new restaurant once a month. We try to pick food from other countries as well, or something we wouldn't' normally eat like vegan food.
posted by wwax at 1:34 PM on May 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


I try to read a poem every day. I keep poetry books around for this, but there are several poem-a-day email sources.
posted by FencingGal at 2:13 PM on May 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


The Mefi Card Club is really fun and a low-pressure way to send and receive cards from other mefites. You can sign up for just one card or several each month. I like dropping things in the mail and sending whatever I like. I tend to just send postcards.

OOh! Just signed up!
Hope everyone likes postcards from Florida with alligators biting people on the butt.
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 2:55 PM on May 18, 2018 [9 favorites]


I’m working on the habit of noticing who writes what I read, and making sure that enough of my latest stack of library books or whatever is written by PoC/women/etc. I mean, it feels like A Good Thing To Do and all, but also: it’s a great way to find new and different things to read.
posted by the_blizz at 4:44 PM on May 18, 2018 [5 favorites]


Activities that have a schedule are good. That's the secret of yoga/pilates/exercise classes etc. For me, it's sailboat races in the summer, but it could be jogging with a buddy. Also, it could be some sort of class that obliges you to prepare/practice. For me, flute lessons. As a retiree, I also sometimes attend classes at the local community college that are oriented for my peers.

Where I live, there is quite a lot of free or low cost classical music. It takes a bit of intentional searching to find about it. Once you identify the organizations involved, you can usually follow via the internet.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:23 PM on May 18, 2018


I set an ambitious goal on Goodreads for the Reading Challenge each year and try to meet it.

I also take a martial arts class that involves learning progressive curriculum over the months/years. The progression keeps me super motivated.
posted by raspberrE at 6:12 PM on May 18, 2018


I draw 15 mins a day. Usually, on my lunch break. I use this book for prompts and just go in order so I don’t waste time dithering what to draw.
posted by greermahoney at 9:09 PM on May 18, 2018


Also, if you like writing postcards, maybe consider Postcards to Voters (If you’re in the US) to scratch that itch while helping to GOTV!

There are tons of volunteer opportunities you can do in short bursts, even from home. I like transcribing prisoner letters at Between the Bars but there are lots of other opportunities at Zooniverse.
posted by greermahoney at 9:20 PM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


-sounds silly, but if you have an electric toothbrush with a two minute timer, try balancing on one foot for each half of your mouth! 1) motivates you to get in full two minutes of brushing 2)balance is really important as you age and maintaining is easier than trying to gain!
posted by eglenner at 12:47 AM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


i end my daily shower with 30-60 seconds of cold water and i really, really hope it has health benefits
posted by yaymukund at 4:38 AM on May 21, 2018 [1 favorite]


I try and consciously add something new to explore each month. Certainly new recipe/ingredient has been the most effective. I've become quite the nature nerd as well. Trying to learn to identify flora/fauna around me as I see it, gives these things value when I can name it properly vs. just a bunch of trees. Learn to identify 10 star constellations by sight (and the night sky changes over the year here so thats ongoing) Look into your local field naturalist club/community and join a plant/bird/ identification walk. Go on an art gallery crawl of local studio/spaces. If you craft, do more of that, try a new pattern, material etc. If you exercise, switch up your routine, set new flexibility goals etc. Learn a new game! Cards etc.

Seconding the suggestion also for new music, poetry, books etc. Making small changes to the arrangements in your space. Digging to the bottom of your clothing and actually adding new things into your regular rotation, rather than hoarding forever without wear (if you have too much like me) Basically if its within your space move it around, otherwise be around other people who are widely curious about whatever they are passionate about, I find it can be infectious. These societies usually have monthly meetings plus some excursions. You dont always have to be a member to join, I find they are often happy to have new faces. Some are highly participatory if you are keen to meet new people, and sometimes they have guest speakers that make it kind of like a lecture where you can wallflower and just learn.... same goes if you have a local university nearby. Their events roster may have interesting happenings that are often meant to include the wider community and not just for students.
posted by abhardcastle at 4:57 AM on June 1, 2018


Haikuesday! Write a haiku every tuesday...
posted by abhardcastle at 4:59 AM on June 1, 2018


« Older Executive career / interview coaching in Toronto?   |   Real workouts, delivered virtually Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.