8 Ways To Be Consistent

This is not the blog post I was planning on publishing.  Earlier this week I wrote a blog post that I had planned to share with you today.  But I have decided I’m not quite ready to share that story yet. So instead, you’re getting this post...I’ve written and published posts consistently this year as I had planned and it actually feels like it has become a habit. But this habit development has required effort. Since simplifying your life and then keeping it simple also requires consistency, I thought I’d share 8 ways to be consistent.

1. Set an intention - When I planned for 2017, I set some intentions (I prefer setting intentions instead of New Year’s resolutions or goals). One of these was to write and publish blog posts consistently.
2. Write it down - When I set these intentions, I wrote them down. I dedicated a page to them in my bullet journal and used my favorite markers to make it fun.  I enjoy refering to it often, which helps me want to take action.
3. Tell someone else - You should not hold other people accountable for your intentions. That places the burden on them to uphold your action, which doesn’t work. Instead, you want to hold yourself accountable to someone you choose to report your progress to.  I told my husband that I want to publish a blog post every Friday morning, but it’s up to me to do the work and make it happen.
4. Decide why “it” is important - I write because I enjoy sharing what I’ve seen, learned and experienced. I also write because it allows me to reflect and process where I am on my journey.  Remembering why it is important helps me be consistent.
5. Figure out your “good enough” - Decide what your minimum level is for whatever you’re being consistent with. For me, it’s writing a blog post once a week that is at least 300 words. I write until I reach this “good enough” point and I know that anything after that is icing on the cake.
6. Release perfectionism - If I let myself get hung up on each post being perfect, I’d never publish a blog post! Show up, find your “good enough” and keep at it.
7. Say “no” - Sometimes to stay consistent, you have to say no to something else. Saying no is hard, but it’s often necessary for consistency. When I set my intention, I decided that by 8am ET each Friday, a post will be out there in internet-land. This means I’ve had to say no to other less-important things a few times in the interest of achieving this.
8. Be flexible - Doing something consistently doesn’t mean you do the exact same thing every time. I write at different times each week, in different places and about different things. I can’t just write on command and I need to be in the right “zone” so being flexible makes consistency possible.

How do you stay consistent with your intentions?To Simplicity & Joy,Lisa