Everyday Cycling Adds Up

I joined a couple of challenges as part of Bike Month but deliberately didn’t do too much more than normal. I wanted to see what that would look like. I normally bike to the office four days a week (just over 2.5 km each way). I bike to swim practice once a week. I visited… Continue reading Everyday Cycling Adds Up

I Survived Thrived Through a Winter of Cycling

I wrote about my idea of cycling through the winter here and here. Sam wrote about it here, and that one includes lots of links to other posts about winter cycling. Unlike Sam, my goal was to be a bike commuter and I am proud to say I DID IT! I go to the office… Continue reading I Survived Thrived Through a Winter of Cycling

It Turns Out That March *Is* Real!

Remember last month when I knew February was real but, as far as I was concerned, March might be fictional? Good news: March is real! Note: I am reserving judgment on April though. Who knows what might come after March? Could be anything, really. It’s the very distant future, extremely Not Now. Before we dive… Continue reading It Turns Out That March *Is* Real!

Checking in with the Chill Soccer League (Part 4)

We are midway through the season of a new +40 rec soccer league that over 100 women joined because they wanted less aggressive play. As I’ve reported in previous posts, there was an expectation that play would be less rough, but a series of decisions and limitations made it unclear (to me) what mechanisms would… Continue reading Checking in with the Chill Soccer League (Part 4)

Go Team 2023! If all else fails, please, please, please be kind to yourself.

Well, Team, like the title implies, the single most important thing I want you to have gotten out of these posts is the idea that being kind to yourself is the only way forward. When you are building a habit you are trying to teach yourself something new. Perhaps you’re learning something entirely new or… Continue reading Go Team 2023! If all else fails, please, please, please be kind to yourself.

Go Team 2023! Focus on your efforts

This is my second-last post for this January series so I am continuing with my plan to reiterate the messages I hope I stressed throughout the month. Yesterday, I reminded you to check your systems. Today, I’m reminding you to focus on your efforts instead of your results. Yes, I know it is really fun… Continue reading Go Team 2023! Focus on your efforts

Go Team 2023! Systems Check

I only have three more posts in this January series so I wanted to reiterate three important things for you to carry with you as you forge ahead with your habit-building. First up: a systems check! Whether you are cruising happily along with your habit building, you are finding each day a struggle, or you… Continue reading Go Team 2023! Systems Check

Go Team 2023! Choose for your own peace of mind

Today is a bit of an off day for me. I had a few complicated things to do and I’m not feeling particularly well and I just kind of want to climb under a blanket and take a nap. I had a reasonable amount of things on my to do list today but now it… Continue reading Go Team 2023! Choose for your own peace of mind

Go Team 2023! Err on the side of self-kindness

Sorry for the spoiler in the title, Team, but I always want you to be kind to yourself, no matter what. I think that one of the biggest obstacles in developing new habits is how hard we can be on ourselves about the challenges involved. We’re trying to layer a new habit into an already… Continue reading Go Team 2023! Err on the side of self-kindness

Go Team 2023! Get the motivation you need – whatever it might be

Finding motivation is a tricky business. Sometimes we can sail along without it, letting our systems or routines or habits just carry us into the next task. Other times we get discouraged or frustrated or bored or just off-kilter and we struggle to get moving in the first place, let alone to put in any… Continue reading Go Team 2023! Get the motivation you need – whatever it might be

Go Team 2023! The pre-work work

Years ago, I was grumbling to another coach about how much time a project was taking and, in the course of the grumbling, I said something like ‘It’s prep stuff that really annoys me. I don’t mind spending time at the ‘real’ work, I hate all the gathering of information and sorting of papers.’ After… Continue reading Go Team 2023! The pre-work work

Go Team 2023! The biggest picture

When you are building a habit, you are constantly going back and forth between the big picture (the habit, the system, the goal) and the small picture (the task of the day, the hour, the minute.) It can be tricky to remember that the task in front of you will add up to the future… Continue reading Go Team 2023! The biggest picture

Go Team 2023! Revisit Past Victories

If you are old enough to be reading this, you are standing atop a stack of past victories. I know, our brains like to remind us of the times things didn’t go so well but we can also consciously choose to remind ourselves of the times that everything worked out just fine. You have sailed… Continue reading Go Team 2023! Revisit Past Victories

Go Team 2023! Dare to NOT compare

Today, I am inviting you to dismiss any comparison that generates negative feelings for you. If looking at your friend’s progress or some actor’s muscles makes you feel good, if it is inspiring for you or if it motivates you to do things that increase your feeling of well-being, that’s great. Forge ahead! But if… Continue reading Go Team 2023! Dare to NOT compare