Building Muscle

Growing new muscles & starting new habits need the same things: 

• Consistency
• Just Right Challenge
• Commitment
• Repetition
• Celebration

There's probably more, but that's a good list to start with. Any new habit--especially mindful, healthy ones--require us to do things differently. It feels uncomfortable, resistance rears its ugly head, and suddenly everything else seems more fun or urgent than doing the thing.

I've committed to this blog practice for 30 days, in the hopes that it will help align me with the new and improved writing habits to get me to the finish line of my book edits. So far, I think it's working out pretty well, but I've definitely been doing some of that inner back and forth that gets in the way of just doing the thing.

But I'm building my writing muscles, just as I am building actual muscle. See, about a year ago I hired my friend and former coworker to be my personal trainer. I needed someone to get me off the couch, someone who would tell it to me straight and not take it personally when I flipped him off mid-exercise. Dave was the exact right guy for the job. For a year, he's been helping me build the muscle of self love, disguised as exercise. And that's the exact right formula I needed. 

I feel better, and I'm stronger, too. A year ago I could barely do a push up angled on the weight bench. I'd get maybe 3 in. Today, I started at 10 with little struggle. Am I ready to run marathons or compete in arm wrestling tournaments? No, and that wasn't the point.

Do I have more energy, feel better in my body and mind, prioritize self care more, and show up better in my life as a whole because I'm building these muscles and these habits? Abso-fucking-lutely.

Dave also taught me a new term today that he learned from his son's PhD work: Bricology: The art and science of bricolage. Bricolage: The practice of transforming “found” materials by incorporating them into a new work.

In its modern day usage beyond art, it's the theory of incorporating and applying skills, principles, ideas, practices etc. from one area of work or study to another. 

That's what I'm doing now. The commitment, the consistency, repetition, and just the right amount of challenge and celebrating along the way that I've done over the last year to build actual muscle is the same skills and strategies I'm using now to build my writing muscles.

So if you, too, are working on a new habit whatever area of life or work it may be in, tap into these core skills and apply them. And remember to celebrate and have some fun along the way. :)