The end of the year contains several holidays in many cultures. For years now I’ve cultivated an idea that the sentiments we express on most holidays can be (and should be) expressed daily. We have harvest festivals like Thanksgiving when we list our gratitude. Several festivals of light celebrate joy, miracles, resilience, unity, or the victory of light over darkness.
It started for me years ago on New Year’s Eve. It felt like we could only set new goals once a year, when in fact one could start on a Tuesday in April or September. When every morning could be a fresh start for self-improvement projects, the yearly celebration seemed the wrong time for resolutions.
The things we do every day provide a clue as to what is truly important to us. It is useful to reevaluate our daily practice now and then to ensure that it is generating the results we want.
Oxford Dictionary defines “practice” as:
- Practice: (verb) perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly to improve or maintain proficiency. (Oxford Languages).
- Practice: (noun) the customary, habitual, or expected procedure or way of doing something. (Oxford Languages)
There are many ways to practice daily which are formal ways to pay attention to things that matter to us. To achieve consistent practice, you need to set aside dedicated time during the day. A goal you care about can be achieved more easily and consistently if you work iteratively toward it. The practice duration can be anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Practice is the act of doing what you want to do, whether that is to play a sport, play an instrument, try out new software code, make new recipes, or just be kind, patient, or open-minded. It is possible to practice these things privately or publicly. The practice might be something that is done physically, or it may be something that is done mentally or emotionally. The activity may involve improving an ability iteratively or performing the same activity daily.
I wanted to keep mentally fit, so I practice brain exercises via a mobile app daily. I recently started playing the New York Times Connections game and love it. I even convinced a friend to play every day. Every morning I wake up to text exchanges with my friend about the results and how our minds approached that day’s puzzle. In addition to keeping mentally fit, I interact with a friend who lives 5 hours away.
I needed to be centered and grounded so I aim to do 5-10 minutes of mindfulness practice daily. I can only manage to squeeze in these few minutes, but it is better than no mindfulness practice.
My list of significant goals is extensive. I realize that it is impossible to start all of them at once. I’m learning to let go and cycle through these goals in a phased approach. When the goal becomes a daily habit (or regular habit as some goals can only be accomplished every few days) I can attempt another practice until that too becomes a daily habit.
Don’t wait to experience special moments yearly. Bring the beauty of these cherished and meaningful traditions into your daily life.
Copyright © 2023 Devashri Gupta. All rights reserved.
