I’ve never considered myself very disciplined. I know that some people would disagree with that. I’ve always just thought that I build good habits. Or it’s easy for me to fall into a rut, depending on your perspective. (^_^)

The difference for me is that discipline means that I have to make myself do something. A habit means I just do it, no argument.

I do yoga almost every morning. That’s habit, not discipline. Occasionally there are mornings when I wake up and I’m just too sore, inflamed, what have you, to get to the mat. Generally though, I don’t realize that I’m sick or that it’s a bad day until I’m halfway through the routine.

The power of habit.

My writing habit is currently not as strong. I figure that’s because I can half-ass my way through the yoga in the mornings when I don’t feel well. I need more brain and focus for the writing.

But somedays, even when it isn’t a bad day, I still have difficulty focusing when I’m writing.

There are things I can do to help that focus. Starting next year, I’m going to start going to coffee shops once a week. I focus better when there’s just that little bit of distraction. Starting this week would have been insane. I’ve been far too social this week.

Another habit that I’ve kind of fallen into is speaking Hungarian every day. I’m up to 154 days in a row so far. Yesterday, I bought myself a pretty notebook that I’ll use for keeping track of some of the vocabulary that I’ve been learning. I really enjoy the Hungarian. There are days when it’s really difficult to get through the lessons, when I’m having a bad cognition day. Then there are other days when I get every lesson right.

Sometime next year I hope to start some sort of conversational Hungarian with someone. I am not there yet, but I’m getting there. I can see it now.

The other major habit that I’m still working on is going to the gym in the evenings. That isn’t a strong habit yet. I’m too tired some nights, which I knew would be the case. I have gone in the afternoon sometimes. I may try to do that more, just to make sure that I’m exercising enough.

One of the habits that I need to figure out is email. I’m still just not good at it. One of my mentors talked about how he has an hour of email every day. That’s kind of where I’m at. I just resent having to spend that hour ever day, so I don’t do it. So it doesn’t get done, and then I’m behind and always racing to catch up and dropping emails. Need to defeat that level monster and just get in the habit of getting on the computer and answering email every single day.

But now, it’s that writing time. One more short story to write before I get back to the novel, which will probably not be until next week.

What’s your best habit? What’s your worst?