Each month of the year, I'm challenging myself to make or break a habit. January was shopping, February was exercise, in March I gave up all social media, in April I attemped to Utter Nothing Negative, in May I forced myself to get more sleep, in June I started to write 30 letters, in August I ate at home, in September I practiced being on time, and in October I wrote 30,000 words.
To date, the least successful monthly challenge this year has been the “utter nothing negative.” Not only was it hard theoretically, it was hard to quantify. I took a “go with your gut” approach, and in turns of discipline challenges, this proved impossible. Since then I’ve stayed away from challenges that aren’t easily measured.
But as I’ve spent weeks trying to decide what the topic will be for November, the same thing kept coming back to me. I pushed it away, because once again it’s an intangible, but the idea just wouldn’t leave me alone. After a few months of having strict boundaries on the challenges, I’m going to try another one that will just have to work on the honor system.
In November, let’s LISTEN.
I’m a talker. I talk to process and to understand. I talk to (over) explain and (over) express myself. I talk and talk and talk, to friends, to my husband, on this blog. And in the last six months especially I’ve had a lot to say. But in the last few weeks, in several conversations, and by myself in the shower, the word that keeps coming to me is LISTEN.
I gotta listen better. I’m so eager to make my point, to tell my story, to cheer, to cry, to be a part of life’s bigger conversation. I like this about myself, mostly, but there’s a time not only to be quiet, but to hear. I want to focus intentionally on hearing the people around me, hearing from readers, really hearing my children. I want my ears and heart to be open to what the universe it trying to tell me, instead of me always trying to make my voice heard in the universe.
I thought about trying this particular challenge out privately, and picking something more logical for the blog purposes, but November is very busy, and I find it’s much more meaningful when I am intentional about one big thing at a time. Also, I wondered if others might want to try this one with me. The holiday season is beginning, December is nutty for almost everyone. I can’t think of a better time of year than November to go slower with all the talking, and turn up the power on the listening.
Join me?
PS - I'll still be blogging in November, just with the more focused intention to listen. I have some ideas on how to work it in...
Photo by Travis Isaacs via flickr
