[2020-11-24] Routines

When I started this blog back in August, I don't know that I set out to write every day. I certainly did not have a clear sense of exactly what my blog would become, for me or for others. I don't know that anyone knows, when they embark on a creative venture, what the outcome will be. Projects such as creating a blog or publishing a podcast or writing a book have a way of taking on a life of their own—in a good way.

Three months ago, I knew only that I wanted to share news of my progress in dealing with cancer. In addition, I wanted to demystify the disease and its treatment, to make it less daunting and to take some of the sting out of future cancer diagnoses. I have often said that I am dragging cancer out of the shadows where it lurks. I hope that by adding my cancer story to that of others, I am helping to bring cancer into the light where we can all say, "It's not so scary."

Had I been using the blog to provide health updates only, I would have long run out of things to say. I have increasingly been using my posts to document my perspectives on a range of topics—perspectives that are influenced in part by my current circumstances, though not entirely. I think of my inspirational posts as letters to my kids.

When I sit down to write a post, I never know what thoughts will emerge; in that way, blogging is like journaling. I think about what's come up in my day, sometimes through conversations with family members, email exchanges with friends, or things I've read or listened to. More and more, I'm inspired by reactions from readers to my blog posts. Readers share stories from their own lives, which I love because I don't want my life to be just about me and certainly not just about cancer.

Today, I've been thinking about routines. The thought first crossed my mind at 6:30 a.m. when I awoke to the sound of my son's alarm go off. I checked the weather on my phone: -5°C with a windchill of -12°C. Brrr. I could have burrowed under the covers and skipped the morning walk. But I knew that if I did, I'd likely never make my goal of 10,000 steps (and I would have missed out on the spectacular sunrise reflected below). It's become routine to go for a walk with my son after we've had breakfast and before we start our workday. I don't know that I would be as disciplined if I were walking on my own. The buddy system really does work.

Writing my blog post is also part of my daily routine. Like walking, the end result is satisfying even if the process is hard. In fact, I take pride in the final product precisely because it is hard to create.

Various people have said to me, "It's OK if you want to take a break." I know I can, but there's something so gratifying about maintaining a routine.

When something becomes part of my routine, I no longer have to think about it (will I or won't I?) and I don't have to use precious willpower to motivate myself to do something hard. It's just something I do.

I've often read that when trying to establish a new habit, it helps to tie the desired habit to an existing one. This is called habit stacking, as James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, writes in his blog post How to Build New Habits by Taking Advantage of Old Ones:

One of the best ways to build a new habit is to identify a current habit you already do each day and then stack your new behavior on top. This is called habit stacking.... By linking your new habits to a cycle that is already built into your brain, you make it more likely that you'll stick to the new behavior.

Clear explains how to do this:

The habit stacking formula is:
    • After/Before [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].
For example:
    • After I pour my cup of coffee each morning, I will meditate for one minute.
    • After I take off my work shoes, I will immediately change into my workout clothes.
    • After I sit down to dinner, I will say one thing I’m grateful for that happened today.
    • After I get into bed at night, I will give my partner a kiss.
    • After I put on my running shoes, I will text a friend or family member where I am running and how long it will take.
I have two anchors for starting a blog post:
  • After I go for a walk, I draft my post. OR
  • After I eat supper, I draft my post.
The earlier anchor gives me time to write at my leisure and works well for posts that require research, while the later anchor gives me an opportunity to reflect on my day and works well when I don't have a preconceived notion of what I'll write about.

I'm still establishing new routines for my health leave. Having the time to walk and blog every day is a privilege.