I know it’s a completely unoriginal move, but I’ve had a challenging 2020. And today, my brain sent me on a trip down memory lane.

I am nostalgic to a fault. I had a pretty magical childhood, and as life has gotten harder, I find myself longing for those days of yore. Reflecting on these memories is bittersweet—it’s fun and heart-warming, yet somewhat painful and crippling at the same time. I often wonder if my present and future can ever match up to my (romanticized) past.

Throw a pebble into a still lake, and you’ll see something amazing. The tiny pebble strikes the water with little impact, but still creates a cascade of change on the lake’s surface.

The ripples last much longer than the impact. 

With so many of us adjusting to a new normal, I thought I would discuss my quarantine habits. I’ve recently been amazed at how small adjustments to my habit goals has created drastic differences.

Your group is in trouble. The situation seems hopeless. And then someone says it.

“I have a plan.”

Those four words can bring a sense of relief in the most dire situations. But why?

You might be wondering why I’m pitting these two ideas against each other. After all, many people use 30-day challenges as a vehicle to form habits. But a 30-day challenge is quite different from purposeful habit formation, so let’s explore those differences.