A 21-day kickstart”, “A 6-week bootcamp”, “A year-long immersion” – do these phrases sound familiar? Whether you are a student, a fitness or yoga lover or are flirting with the idea of going on a diet, it is very common to be told to do “some-thing” every day for a period of time. This is also advise we receive from our doctors, priests and parents!
Have you ever wondered what happens when you do something EVERY DAY for a period of time? Why not every alternate day? Why not whenever you feel it or when you can make time for it? There is a deep science behind this age-old wisdom. When we do something every single day, we move that action in our brain from the pre-frontal cortex to the basal ganglia in the centre – in plain words, it goes from being a decision or a thought to being a habit.
As an example, in the beginning, going to the gym is something I process as a thought and so I might do it and I might not do it. After going to the gym every day for a while, it becomes automatic or a habit. It is like eating lunch for most people – we somehow make time to do it! I personally prefer the word discipline over habit – and you can use this process of doing something every day for a designated period of time to create discipline in any area of your life. Stephen Covey states that 21 days is enough to get you there – my own experience suggests that some of us might need more time especially when we want live a discipline against old patterns and conditioning! Even the brightest of my clients sometimes were stuck with their inability to establish a discipline. I felt very helpless because I could not find a tool to help them that was gentle, fun & focussed on growth & awareness rather than imposing or intimidating!
So, a few years back, I created an Inspiration Deck. It is a simple way to “train your brain” in discipline. The Deck can be used as a daily inspiration tool – in a easy to use, visually gorgeous format! Each day, you choose a new card from the deck, enjoy the beautiful photo & quote and follow the short (20 minutes of less mostly) awareness activity at the back. You can pin the card of the day in a place where you can see it – your computer screen, your mirror or the fridge door! There are several ways to use the Deck depending on your own preference so it gives you options and some variety.
Over time, I have received feedback from so many clients & friends who have used this system. Each person had a difference experience to share – what was common is that they felt the bliss of a daily practice that they could then re-create again and again in different areas of their lives!
All photographs used in the Deck are copyright property of Sushil Chikane
Also, read the adventures of my friend Shalini Baisiwala as she was inspired by the Deck for 30 days and blogged about it with great insight