Habits

I'm sure that you've all heard the adage before, It takes 21 days to learn a habit.

It's certainly what I had in mind when I wanted to stick to my resolution this year to re-embrace my passion for all of the writing process. The best way to overcome my delays and habits of starting and stopping in fits was simple. I just needed new habits. I needed to retrain myself and get used to accommodating the act of writing in my daily schedule. So that means everyday.

But as it turns out the familiar adage that everyone knows and loves to tout so earnestly? It's a crock of shit.

According to Science, anyway. The 21 day limit is completely arbitrary. According to peer reviewed research, it takes a whole 66 days for a habit to actually stick. So all those times you tried incorporate yoga? Or go running? Or stopping swearing? IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT. You were misled.

On the other hand, however, I'm rather annoyed to learn this fact. Mostly, because today is Day 12 of Consistent Writing. I've been doing a countdown and had a reward planned for Day 21. But now Day 21 suddenly morphed into Day 66...

Perhaps I'll break down and do a partial reward at Day 33. Otherwise this is going to become quite the upward slog.