We’ve all got stuff we know we should do, but struggle to do it. Accountability can help, and so can celebrating our successes. This thread is for both those things.
Pick something that can be done in one sitting (or outing, session, etc.). Something that will either be done or not done at the end of the day. Something you’re willing to have people follow up on you about. This is what I mean by micro-challenge, it’s challenging but small enough to be well defined and contained within a known span of time.
Maybe it’s a phone call you’re dreading. Maybe it’s paying bills but looking at your bank account makes your heart pound. Maybe it’s taking out the garbage. It doesn’t have to look like a big deal to anyone else, as long as getting it done is meaningful for you. I’ll give an example below.
Instructions:
Post one micro-challenge you plan on doing (to keep it simple and meaningful, I want to avoid lists)
Explain why it’s meaningful, or why it’s a challenge for you. Why would getting it done feel like a victory?
State a concrete time when you plan to have it done. Thwart procrastination by putting a clock on it!
Tell us how difficult it is for you, for context to help us understand. It doesn’t matter how hard you think the task is to others, it’s all about your experience here. If you’re in a rough spot, even getting out of bed before noon can feel like a big ask.
After:
When you’ve done it, tell us about your victory! How it felt, how you got over the obstacles, how you stayed disciplined and focused. Pictures are cool too. TSers love celebrating with each other!
I’ll start. What I’m doing: I’m going to wear sunglasses on my errands today. Why it’s meaningful: This is something that makes me really anxious and I want to get comfortable with it. No more squinting and scrunching my face all the time whenever I’m outside half the year! Also, facing manageable amounts of anxiety makes me feel empowered, more confident, and lessens my anxiety overall in the long run. When I’ll do it: This afternoon, at some point in the next three hours. Difficulty level for me: Significant, 6/10
For cutting and pasting: What I’m doing: Why it’s meaningful: When I’ll do it: Difficulty level for me:
Why’s it meaningful BC once I do it it makes my mental and physical well-being in more of a balance,I feel I’ve accomplished something that also is good and healthy for me .it also helps with my lack of motivation as I always think it’s a good idea but I never follow it thru.
What I’m doing: Studying for the tests on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Why it’s meaningful: Because if I fuck up I’ll be help back yet again. When I’ll do it: Before Friday Difficulty level for me: 8/10, I have barely any discipline and I always procrastinate
When I’ll do it: choosing between 15 mins a or 2k a day, 30 days to start. (Doesn’t look like a micro-challenge maybe, but 15 min or 2k is supposed to be warmup on the distances I’m trying to train for - boozeless it’s totally realistic)
Difficulty level for me: 6/7 (I say this odd number based on days of the week. I can easily go 6 days a week, and then one day if I don’t go then Mr Hyde shows itself and drink)
So it was about what I expected. I was most anxious heading out the door, still really uncomfortable when walking about, and still felt feelings of embarrassment when I got back home. My heart was pounding, I was self conscious about how I looked, wondered what other people could think, I fought urges to turn back or put the sunglasses away. But I did the thing! It was really important that I used my anxiety management tricks (being aware of and relaxing my breathing and posture, focusing on what is instead of what might be, and most importantly don’t bail), as I walk instead of drive, so I had to be in the anxiety-inducing part (being outside in glasses) for a sustained period of more than half an hour, which is plenty of time to work up a panic or bail out if I don’t use my tools.
Those who struggle with social anxiety, agoraphobia: just taking small steps to challenge yourself works wonders in the long run. I used to not be able to leave my house to even get groceries. I’m working my way up.
Just about to have a shower as been in the woods ,getting into comfys and I’m Gona do 15 minutes not overly long but a start will touch base once completed
What I’m doing: Going to the allotment to plant my tomatoes
Why it’s meaningful: I am anxious about going to the allotment because my plot is such a mess and everyone else’s is so perfect. Things haven’t worked out as I’d planned and this plays into my fear of failure/ applying that sense of failure to everything in my life.
When I’ll do it: In the next hour, before dinner or it won’t get done.
Difficulty level for me: Once I’m there I will enjoy it but the thought of going makes me really anxious. 6/10
I struggle with social anxiety but find sunglasses have the opposite affect on me. Ever since college when I’d forget my glasses at home and would have to wear my sunglasses inside to see the board, they brought a form of safety and comfort to me. Now even to this day I wear my sunglasses weather it’s cloudy or sunny and inside a lot. They make me feel like I’m invisible and that I have the power to see everything going on around but with a nice comfort blanket on me. People can’t see my eyes and I like that. Idk it’s silly but maybe if you look at them as having a super power that keeps you from harm it’ll help!
What I’m doing: not picking up a drink. Why it’s meaningful: life will become unmanageable beyond belief. When I’ll do it: just for today… Difficulty level for me: 1 thru 8, it runs the gamut throughout the day. All I have is a daily reprieve contingent on my spiritual condition.
I didn’t enjoy it when I got there. Nothing has really gone as I wanted it to and I had a bit of a strop about it
But I know it is a process and a learning experience. The way to turn things around is to chip away at it a little bit at a time. There will always be something else to do no matter how on top of it I am. It is actually a really good exercise in building resilience.
Why it’s meaningful: We have one counter thats a dumping spot in our house. Everywhere else is relatively clean most of the time, but this one just accumulates stuff all the time. I don’t even know why we place stuff there. We know it will just be forgotten.
When I’ll do it: Today.
Difficulty level for me: 8/10. Honestly, it takes an incredible amount of motivation to get this stupid thing taken care of. There are papers, and things there that have no real place in our house to go, so putting them away requires me to make a place somewhere else. I’m already exhausted thinking about it!
I have one of these counters too. It’s exactly how you explained it. Good for you for tackling it today. I’m not quite ready to do mine but you are giving me inspiration to do it some time soon.
Thanks @anon79808082@anon89207786@Mephistopheles@Cricket89@Lionfish for the compliment/reassurance and @mleclaire for that perspective! Interesting to look at it that way, because one of my big fears is that people think I’m being rude by avoiding eye contact and looking disinterested and hiding, but it’s just part of wearing sunglasses and I certainly can use it to my advantage as well
@Lionfish our summers here are very much like southern California, hot and dry without much humidity, definitely sunglasses weather all the time!
@Mephistopheles I approve of this challenge… interesting how “nothing” can be the most difficult task at times!
