I recently started reading a fascinating book called Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey.  As the title suggests, it's a collection of profiles delving into the daily habits of painters, poets, philosophers, and other creative types. 

I can't say I was particularly surprised by the vast quantities of alcohol, cigarettes, and caffeine consumed by the majority of those featured--including Proust, Fellini, Highsmith, and Capote--but it has been a revelation to discover that naps, dog walks, and procrastination are other overlapping daily-routine themes.  While I've never been a nap-taker, I'm definitely no stranger to daily dog walks (as much a relief for my canine companion as for myself) and most definitely not to procrastination.

"I know a person who will poke the fire, set chairs straight, pick dust specks from the floor, arrange his table, snatch up a newspaper, take down any book which catches his eye, trim his nails, waste the morning anyhow, in short, and all without premeditation--simply because the only thing he ought to attend to is the preparation of a noonday lesson in formal logic," writes philosopher/psychologist William James. That could be me, if you replaced the masculine pronouns with feminine versions and swapped out "a noonday lesson in formal logic" with "any writing project."

That's where rituals come in handy.  Creating a daily routine makes our important tasks, well, routine. Which is to say, something we don't have to think about doing--they just become things we do, autopilot style, because we've trained and conditioned our unruly selves that way. This structure really works for me, and starts with a daily to-do list.  There's something supremely satisfying about crossing each item off that list. It's visual proof of accomplishment.

Do you struggle with procrastination? What do you do to keep yourself on track? Please share!

I recently did something I’ve always wanted to do.

No—scratch that.

It was not something I always wanted to do. Just the opposite, in fact! A yoga retreat, while appealing for obvious reasons—including the opportunity to shape up and feel good on a warm and sunny Mediterranean island—seemed like a scary proposition, which is why I put it off for so long. Was I really capable of doing 4.5 hours of downward dogs, warrior poses, and headstands each day? I honestly didn't think so, but turns out that I was.

Besides toning up, losing a bit of excess flab, and eating three delicious vegan meals each day prepared by a private chef, saying yes to something I wanted to try but was frightened of allowed me to push through a mental boundary that said “you could never do that!” 

Setting goals, big or small, and ultimately crossing them off our lists once we’ve completed them is actually one of life’s great joys. Each goal we reach is a personal affirmation that we are capable and powerful and it gives us a confidence boost. Plus, life is too short to postpone things we really want to experience.

What are some of the things on your dare-to-dream list you’d like to tick off?  Would you like to run a marathon or train for a triathlon? Attend a writer’s retreat like this one run by author Joyce Maynard? Maybe you dream of starting your own catering company, or traveling to Varanasi, India, and taking a dip in the Ganges. Wherever your dreams and fear collide, I encourage you to push through and make it happen. Opportunities for growth—and, more importantly, opportunities for fun—await you!