Baby Steps

I've heard it said that it takes 3 weeks to make something a habit. I don't disagree with this thought, but in my experience there are steps that precede even starting the 3 weeks of habit building. First comes the knowledge that a particular change needs to be made. Then several days/weeks/months pass where the idea of change flits in and out of the mind with growing frequency. At some point in this process the person begins to talk to peers about how they are planning to make this change in their life. Finally after significant toil of the mind, the person breaks down and actually starts incorporating the change. Often there are setbacks as the 3 weeks aren't quite reached and then there is the reverting back to the start of those weeks. This can be quite a drudge.

For a while now I've been in the thinking/talking stage of forming habits. I know I need to exercise several times a week and I've flirted with the habit for the past several months. Now that the weather is finally turning, I know I'm going to need to find another form of exercise besides walking outside, otherwise I'll leave off exercising all winter because I won't want to brave the cold. To this end I purchased an exercise ball a couple months back. It's been sitting in my closet in the box. Tonight I made the baby step of actually blowing up the ball so I can see it sitting in my room. Maybe this will encourage me to make use of it and start down the path of the habit-forming 3 weeks.