You may be like me, but after you’ve been around a while, you begin to see the yearly cycle repeat and repeat and repeat. We push hard into Thanksgiving (which is really a pre-season for a consumerism Christmas/Holiday blitz), then the Holidays of spending, getting, panic, and frustration, indulgence and debt. And now, days after this “magical season” we are tossed into the ocean of guilt: you are too fat, you indulged too much, you spent too much – you need to exercise…. buy this, join that, subscribe, you can do it, be your new self…. etc….
And this has made me think. Yes, it makes me think about existential stuff (is consumerism really what the above is all about? And if we could just anchor into some sort of solid ground and not sandy soil during the Holidays we all might be a bit better off, etc….), but it has also made me ponder quite a lot about the day-to-day goal setting we all should have. It never was, is, or will be the Pow! Zap! Smash! Bang! of the shiny new that gets you to your goal. It is the head down, “butt in seat” day-to-day business of the extraordinarily mundane that creates the satisfying sensations that life has to offer.
Nearly a year and a half ago, I started Duolingo (French) on a whim. I have committed to it every day (15-20 minutes), and guess what… I can now read the French Newspaper. it’s the ride. it’s the journey. It’s the butt in the seat and commitment to the day-to-day. AA has known this since its founding. Any marathon runner knows it’s the next step. Any writer knows it’s the next word, scene, chapter. The Nike slogan is somewhat true: if you are truly ready to change (spiritually, physically, mentally, relationally…) JUST DO IT. But I would add: KEEP DOING IT, DAILY, HOURLY, SECOND-BY SECOND.
And then, one day, what seemed quite impossible at the time will have become… part of the new you. What is it that you want to change, accomplish? Well, find out how (that’s a simple google search) and maintenant y aller! (Now, DO IT.) Then… butt in seat… KEEP DOING IT. Bon Voyage!
Greg Belliveau 