30 day commitment and an introduction

[PurposeSeeker]

I've been working on self-improvement since April 9th of 2010 but fell back into my old ways for a few months during the summer and restarted daily workings in November.

I feel my first true action step towards improvement (not just reading about it or watching videos) came when I gave a $500 check to a friend. The reason I did this was in attempt to limit how much TV I watched (6-8 hours a day). I told my friend if I watch more than 2 hours a day, he has to cash the check and do with it what he wants.

It is based on an honor system but I am happy to say that for the last few months I have not watched more than 2 hours a days!

As I look for more ways to self-improve and make success inevitable, I came across this website and the '30 days' idea. My 30 day commitment will be to get up at or before 8 am and to share thoughts on a daily basis here.

I do this as a commitment to myself and to share progress and get ideas from others.

Since I started on Jan. 3rd, my next post will be for the first 4 days.

I look forward to sharing and hearing from you.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 3. Woke up with alarm at 8 am. Was inspired to work at the beginning of the day but lost inspiration towards the afternoon.

Jan 4. Woke up with alarm at 8 am. Felt somewhat down once I got up and throughout most of the day. I did not take steps that worked at any point during the day until I went to the gym to improve my mood.

Jan 5. Woke up before the alarm at 7:55 am. Felt better than previous day. Volunteered in the morning from 9-12. Discussed how I could do more with the organization. I work at home without anyone around so I need to actively seek company.

Jan 6. Woke up with alarm at 8 am. Still successful in 30 day commitment. As I write this, I think I need to come up with a more positive way to describe day to day. Today, I am more rooted and calm.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 7. Still going strong. The weekend will be the true test. So easy to want to sleep in.

[bene4310]

Stay strong. I know how easy it is to slip up on the weekend, when there is no incentive to get up.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan. 8 - Up at 8 am. Relaxed on the couch for the next few hours but did not go back to sleep. Was helpful having radio on. So far has been a productive and much longer weekend day than normal.

Thanks Bene. One more weekend day left. Are you working on anything?

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 9. Up at 8 am. Much more time to do more things during the day. Day by day seems the way to go. Waiting for the snow storm to hit.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 10. Up at 8! Success. Feels less and less like a burden and the goal seems much easier to attain.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 11. Up at 7:55 am. Getting used to cycle and body is adjusting to waking up at 8. I was up before the alarm today. Seem motivated to be productive today and have already gotten much done. I wonder if it's due to the daily discipline or because the last three days I was minimally to moderately productive and have a sense to be more productive today?

[Angelique]

$500 wow!! That's awesome.

[PurposeSeeker]

Originally Posted by Angelique

$500 wow!! That's awesome.

Thanks. That has been truly effective in curbing my TV watching. I now use a timer and when it goes off, I scramble to get that TV shut off. Another few hours of TV is truly not worth $500. I am slowly finding other interests. Nothing overnight but slowly as I have much more free time.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 12. Up at 7:55 am. Again, before the alarm. It is remarkable how the body/mind can be trained. Snowed in for the 3rd day here in the south.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 13. Up at 8 am. Actually woke up at 7:37 am and was fully awake but slept again until 8 am. Seems with having discipline on when I get up that I am coming up with other goals. Ones that are more attainable in the short term that goals I had previously worked on that I failed at.

Accountability is also making reaching this goal more possible. My accountability is towards myself through my posts on here. I guess I learn from this that having an outward accountability about what you do 1) takes some pressure off just yourself 2) and shares some of the positive energy each day.

Still trying to work out points in the second paragaph, so it might not make the most sense. If anyone who has delved deeper into this can add thoughts, ideas, it would be appreciated.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 14. Up at 7:42 am. Awake before alarm. Easily falling into schedule now.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 15. Up at 7:58 am. Again no alarm. The day is much longer and more is accomplished on a Saturday.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 15. Up at 7:37 am. No alarm. Seems like a routine I am falling into. Need to stick with it though. 16 days left.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 17. Up at 7:36. It seems now that no matter what time I go to bed, I am up before the alarm. I will keep up getting up at 8 am. I need to look for something to set up as a goal, a life goal.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 18. Woke up with alarm. As I am past the halfway mark, I am already thinking of my next goal. I find discipline works well with me. What I do want to do is accomplish more and quit saying, "Tomorrow, I'll..."

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 19. Up at 8 am with alarm.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 20. Up at 8 am. I posted this in the 'Personal Effectiveness' forum but wonder if getting up at 8 am everyday is really making me more effective. I have the ability to wake up when I want. Sleeping until I am ready to wake up would probably make me more effective instead of being tired throughout the day.

I wonder if I am made to get up at 8 am everyday?

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 21. Up at 8 am.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 22. Up at exactly 8 am, even though I set the alarm but it did not go off. I had set it for the wrong day.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 23. Up with alarm at 8 am. I have made Sunday the day that I relax and take my time getting up to do anything. So, while I did wake up at 8 am, I read in bed until about 9:30-10 am.

Jan 24. Up at 7:17 am. Way before alarm. I always start Mondays rearring to go but by the afternoon, my motivation and enthusiasm begins to wain.

I have set an alarm on my computer now that goes off at 12:30 pm saying get off the computer for an hour and at 6:00 pm saying, turn off the computer. I have yet to be by the computer when they have gone off but hopefully it will force me to get off the computer.

[accelertor]

Well done - Keep it up!

[Guru1984]

I'm curious...At what time do you go to sleep?

[PurposeSeeker]

Originally Posted by accelertor

Well done - Keep it up!

Thanks - almost there and now I've adjusted many things in my life to get up at 8 am.

Originally Posted by Guru1984

I'm curious...At what time do you go to sleep?

It has varied. Sometimes as late as 3 am, earlier in the 30 days but now I avoid doing things that keep me up that late. These days, I'm getting to sleep around 11:30-12. It's really at the time that I get tired.

I read the following which gave some hints on getting up early which lead to my coming up with getting up at 8 am for 30 days.

How to Become an Early Riser
30 Days to Success

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 25. Up at 7:42, before the alarm.

As I get closer to the end of the 30 days and my accountability of inputting my progress on this site ends, if I will continue getting up at 8 am. I think I may continue inputting weekly once the 30 days is up.

[Guru1984]

Cool!

Keep it up

[PurposeSeeker]

Originally Posted by Guru1984

Cool!

Keep it up

Thank you Guru.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 26. Up at 7:32 am. Before the alarm. I have found it is easier to get the day going if I take a shower right when I get up.

Also, I used to drink a cup of coffee at breakfast followed by 3 additional cups during the rest of the day. Now, I only drink one cup in the morning and that is all I need.

[PurposeSeeker]

Jan 27. Up at 7:59 am. Once again before the alarm. I used to watch many hours of TV and to replace the loss of TV, I spent too much time on the computer, keeping me up until 12-1 am. Now, I get off the computer at 6 pm, and then have been going to bed at 10-11 pm. It is a slow process but having the one goal of getting up at 8 am creates other beneficial effects.