;tldr I've figured out a way to track data that works for me and most importantly, I've found a reason I like for doing this. This new perspective has made me realize that having a reason you like is not just for justifying choices, but also for motivating positive behaviors.

My brain started thinking about urges today. It began with a conversation about finances - and me thinking about how much of my spending is/was impulse buying. And that got me thinking about overall (lack of) impulse control and how that affects so much of my life with overspending, overdrinking, and overeating...

And then I realized I really have no data around my urges. I FEEL like most are 'I want that' thoughts - but I don't know for sure. I also don't know how often I give in to those urges - or really where my work around urges is...

I've also struggled with habit trackers and doing discovery worksheets and all that. I understood the value, but the format and/or the information I got out of it wasn't really what I needed (at that time).

So, today I asked myself - what do you want to know?

here is the list I created

1. how many urges I have and for what? (food, drink, other)
2. what I'm doing when I have an urge
3. what was the first trigger? if it was a thought - what was that thought
4. was I noticing any strong feelings?
5. Did I give into the urge?

From all of this I should be able to figure out any trends and from there, determine where my next course of action is....

So, I created a google survey that asks me some basic questions and saves them in a sheet. That sheet can be sorted etc to look for any trends!

And for my Atomic Habit people here's the skinny...

The Habit I want to create is to log every urge I have...

I made it obvious - by making the form easy to access and available on my phone's home screen and computer

I made it attractive - it's rewarding to check off the boxes and watch the information grow

I made it easy - a simple form that only asks questions that fill my data needs right now

satisfying -data is available immediately and I can work to grow progress over time with visual graphs

And one last power thought I had...

although I know data is important to the journey - I wasn't doing it. I think because deep down I didn't like my reasons. Data felt like it was a reason to shit on myself. It was 'all the info' or none at all, it was 'perfect every day' or useless...

But, today I found a reason I liked and a mindset that motivates me AND makes me happy and excited to do it.

it's funny because Corinne talks about 'having a reason you like' all the time... and I always associated that with things like 'making a food choice' or a way to 'justify' what would have previously 'bad' behavior...

But today I realized that the same can be said for positive behaviors. Do youu want to get them done? Have a reason you like!

I know, I know she's said it again and again...

wanna give up bread? cool, have a reason you like

wanna IF? cool, have a reason you like

but today, internalized that in a way I hadn't experienced before...and as someone whose big thing has been diet trauma... who has avoided making a Good/Better/Best list who's avoided data and making plans... it just FINALLY clicked! the problem isn't the process... it's that I hadn't found. a reason I liked!

{{mind blown!}}