
So this post isn't to brag, but to provide your brain evidence that dropping the bar all the way down to the ground is one of the most effective ways to build habits and actually realize your dreams.
Back in August of 2017, I felt like I was being dragged behind a train. Life felt out of control, and I was searching for a way to get back in the driver's seat.
So I thought back to the things that had helped me in the past. Martha Beck calls this finding your last hot track. I remembered that when I felt more in control of my life, I was doing some kind of meditation/breathing practice. I'd learned it in my early 20s and had done it on and off since then.
So I decided to sit for 20 minutes every day. That lasted a solid 3 days. The tracker I use shows my doing it in fits and starts until about November.
I remember being frustrated that I couldn't keep my promise to myself and I didn't understand why it was happening. I had the desire. I had the time. I just couldn't make it happen in the 3D.
Then I made a decision that changed everything.
I lowered the bar.
As a recovering perfectionist, this was excruciating. I had to deal with all of the messages I'd heard and been taught.
"Go big or go home!"
"If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well!"
"Don't coddle yourself!"
"Reach for the stars!"
"Set your sights high!"
I think we all have some version of this roaming around in our skulls.
In fact, I lowered the bar so low, I didn't think it would even be effective. But it's all I could do, so I gave it a shot.
I decided to do 1-minute of some kind of breathing/meditation/listening to encouraging recordings/really anything that helped me tune back into myself and helped me figure out what I wanted versus what the culture around me was telling me I should want and what I should do, every day.
I figured that I could sneak in 1-minute in the bathroom at the very least.
My mind went bananas with complaints, criticism, and forecasts of failure. But I just kept doing it.
I remember one especially rough period where all I could do was turn on "She Let Go" by Safire Rose and listen. It was better than nothing, so it had to be good enough.
And it worked. I was able to regain the wheel.
Not only that, my "better-than-nothing" practice of checking in with myself for 1-minute a day was something I could actually maintain. Most days I do have a longer practice, but I still keep the bar at 1-minute to ensure I can do it long term.
And here is the evidence.
More than 7 years later, I haven't missed a day.

Again, this isn't to brag, but to prove to your brain that it's okay for you to lower the bar when you are trying to create something new. Nothing bad will happen. In fact, you might just unlock the key that lets you build the life you've always dreamed of.
If you'd like support finding a way to stay focused on your goals, I host a group of us who are working through the practical steps of bringing our big ideas into reality. You can check it out here: www.shannonlpost.com/journey.
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