I recently read a book that left an impression on me.   Enough so that I wrote a book review on it in this blog and created a January challenge around it for the women in this community who were interested in participating.   

The title of the book is:  "Do the Next New Thing" by Pamela Lamp.

The January challenge invited participants to commit to doing one new thing each day in January.  At the time I am writing this blog post, we are in our last week of the month and of the challenge.   

Here are a few things I've realized as I've talked with women in this community and gone through my own journey on the challenge this month:

We Are Often Unfairly Hard On Ourselves

I heard from several participants along the way who became frustrated with themselves to the point of throwing in the towel when they missed a day or two or three along the way.    This "all or nothing" thinking can be a mindset block for many of us.   If we don't do something one day, we just give it up entirely.   This practice can affect our self-esteem and continue to increase our feelings of being a "failure."   

This is especially true for those in here who are perfectionists.

As is the case with many of our core beliefs, we've carried them around for so long that we can't just wish them away.   However, being aware of them and recognizing what is happening can help each of us to pick ourselves up and continue on with what we are trying to achieve.   In spite of our "stinkin' thinkin'."

Along with giving ourselves grace and encouragement along the way - just as we would to our best friends.

I Do New Things Every Day and I Don't Even Realize It

There were days in January where I did several new things in the same day and other days where I did not do a new thing.

My takeaway from this was that we need to continually challenge ourselves to do the new things. To take those first small, often new, action steps towards our goals.   The frequency of them depends on each person and what the new thing is.  It's up to each of us to decide that for ourselves.

On the first day of the challenge, my new thing was to stay off of social media for the day.   I got so much done on this day and felt so good, that I think I'm going to make it a new thing for me to do this once a week.  Technically it wouldn't be new the second time I did it, but if I'm creating a new habit I can think of it as a new thing each time.   

We all get to make the rules that work for us - another takeaway given to me by a participant in the challenge.

I Would Consider This a Keystone Habit 

Getting into the habit of doing new things can have a domino effect on our lives, often without us even being aware of it.   We feel good about ourselves.   We are creating the habit of pushing through our anxiety and our negative core beliefs and trying something new or doing something differently.  By doing this regularly, it becomes easier and less intimidating.

And by doing this regularly, everything becomes easier and less intimidating.    Spread across all areas of our lives.

Being Present in the New Thing is an Important Component

This is so important not just with the "new thing" challenge but with everything that we do in our lives and throughout our day.   There were days during the challenge where I was trying to think of something new to do that day just to be able to write it in my tracker and check it off for the day.  It was not necessarily something enjoyable nor was I present.   I just wanted to get it done and cross it off my list.

I believe that we are at a point in our lives that doing something new without being fully present for it is a waste of our time.   

On one of the days, I decided I was going to bake cookies.   This was not a brand new thing for me, but I have not spent a Sunday baking cookies in years, so it counted, as far as I was concerned.  (Back to the "making our own rules" takeaway). 

I was FULLY present for this new thing.   It was a cold wintry Sunday and I had a fire going.  I mixed up the batter and got the first batch into the oven.   My husband came in and unwrapped the chocolate kisses that went onto the cookies and we had a fun moment.  I loved the way the kitchen smelled, and I had a moment of gratitude when they came out of the oven and I realized I hadn't lost my touch.

I felt accomplished that Sunday.   I had done my new thing and was fully engaged and present for it.  

In the same vein, I got an email from one of the women in here who was participating in the challenge.    Her new thing that day was walking with a friend up a hill that she'd never been on before.   She said, "it was wonderful and I was happy the entire time."   She was present.

That's what it's all about.   We need to challenge ourselves to continuously be trying new things - even if we're scared to.   It doesn't need to be every day.   Nor do the new things need to be huge.  We just need to keep doing them.

And, we need to be present for them.