The beginning of the year is a white canvas: a new start, a breath of fresh air, and another opportunity to begin again. As the first day of school approaches, I’ve started reflecting on the things I want to do a little bit better than we did last year, what I want to incorporate (memorizing verses together), what I would like to avoid (hollering at my kids to get in the car), and things I would love for them to take over (making their lunches).
Now how do we turn these things into reality rather than merely good intentions?
My friend recommended the book Atomic Habits to me. She is a habit guru and I…am…not…but this book broke down the seemingly obvious things that habit people do into a process that I can actually do. One of the recommendations is habit stacking, adding what you want to do with something you already do.
As we dream about the school year, if I want my kids to make their lunches, we institute an opportunity for them to pack them while I make dinner, and then a deterrent if they don’t: I am available to them during that time, but after dinner the kitchen closes, so if it is not done they will have hot lunch the next day. If I am stern about lunches not being made in the mornings, we will be more likely to leave on time, and if we leave on time, we will be more likely to have a pleasant ride in the car, when we can work on our memory verse.
The plan feels liberating.
What are the habits that you would like to lean into or clean up this year? Are there things you miss that you used to do? We don’t need to change everything, but if we consistently make small improvements, we will continue on a positive trajectory.
This year is a white canvas. What story might God want to paint? Our habits will flow more freely from a heart that is renewed continually by our God. You can ask Him for that this year. A heart that is free can more freely flow with generous words to our kids and a cadence that is filled with joy.
Let’s take the time to create habits with intention so the things that must be done (and even that we would like to do) happen like clockwork…and the places that make our hearts sing have room to breathe.
Let’s play a little clean up, make some lists of the things we dream about having the capacity for, and the things that we simply want to do. Let’s form some habits and tighten up the ship. It is possible. There is more and there is room for it. Take a deep breath and begin again…this time with some habits and a heart that is being renewed and free.
