I've been wanting to write a post, but inspiration was lacking. I couldn't think of a topic. Well I looked at the list of topics I brainstormed in an earlier post and decided it was time to tackle habits! Today I want to address the habit I'd most like to eliminate from my lifestyle.
Last night, after baby went to sleep (ha! more like in between wake-ups), my husband and I hunkered down on the couch to continue our experience with Star Trek: Voyager. This is a habit in our life. It's how we spend time together. Watching Netflix, and Star Trek in particular due to its rich characters and juicy ethics-centered plotlines, is how we enjoy spending time together in the evening. It spurs conversations, which is great to keep a marriage from getting stale. I'm happy to have this habit in our lives.
The often associated habit, and one I'd like to kick, is the Netflix snacking. I'm sure I have associated Netflix time with "shove everything in my face" time. I was determined to snack healthily. I think I went through half a pack of Trident to satisfy my apparently subconscious desire to chew. Eventually the chips and marshmallows came out, though, and the following feast was, let's say, not the healthiest.
The biggest habit I'd like to kick out of my life is this nighttime snacking. I've tried different methods. Last night I even brushed my teeth before coming to sit down on the couch. I've tried a reward and a penalty system, but arbitary awards and penalties don't do much when you can just choose to eat the ice cream and ignore whatever framework you've set up.
The real issue, as I'm sure most people who struggle with adapting healthier lifestyles, is accountability. Award and penalty systems don't work if you don't hold yourself accountable. Sure you can try to have others keep you accountable, but enabling is prevalent, and ultimately it is a worthwhile aspiration to hold yourself to your word and goals.
I'd like to discuss accountability further, and so that will be the topic of my next post. But for now, I've gotta take off; the baby is calling.
-Adriane