Consistency
Happy New Year ,
It’s a new year — 2026. Today has been a good day. I woke up with that very thought on my mind: “I believe something wonderful is going to happen to me today.”
I stretch and immediately reach for my bottle of water. These are the mini actions I’m putting into practice starting now and moving forward. I know I should be drinking at least 3 liters per day. I’ll get there, 1 liter at a time.
I’m incorporating cues to other things, taking notes from James Clear’s Atomic Habits — my first read of 2026. An excellent purchase. It’s all aligning just as it should, right on time.
It’s Thursday. Today I felt like a change in breakfast — almond butter granola it’ll be. I’m still awaiting my slightly green bananas to turn yellow. I’ll enjoy some tomorrow. I add in some flax and chia seeds and a dash of cinnamon. I pour over ice-cold soy milk, say my grace, and dig in.
The clusters of almonds — sweet and crunchy. This breakfast brings gratefulness and happiness. I really enjoy (smiles). Crunching and smiling, I’m goofy like that. Simple things like breakfast in quietness make me happy.
I finish up and continue on with my routine. I’m out the door.
No packed lunch today. It’s, you could say, my Friday. And as a rule for myself, I only eat out every other week. It’s a sort of reward for a well-worked week, plus you have to eat. It also keeps my meal prep fresh — I already eat the same things throughout the week.
Work is quiet (who would have known: sarcasm), especially on New Year’s Day. I take my time with my task. I enjoy my work.
On break, I pull out my book. Dear Writer by Maggie Smith has given me inspiration, motivation, and instruction. I’m halfway through, and I came across a wonderful passage I’ll paraphrase:
Writing and living both require imagination. We can’t change the past, but the rest is up for grabs. We get to make it up. We get to decide today, tomorrow, and on and on what we will try to do and be. On the page and off, we get to surprise ourselves.
How wonderful. These words, when read, jumped out to me. I must have read it over 10 times. Maggie, you are a wizard with words. I aspire to be clever like you.
While browsing my local Barnes & Noble is when I first came across this very book. I pulled it from the shelf, bought a hot chocolate and some sort of chocolate danish, found an almost-empty section, and began to read. I think I made it through 2 chapters before I thought, I need this book.
At the time, I didn’t have the money, but in my time I’ve become very resourceful. I went to my main library, gave them the name, and for sure they had it. What delight filled my heart, mind, and eyes when I walked to find and pull it from the shelf.
I love the library. It amazes me people don’t read more.
Come lunch, I have a roast beef sandwich on a soft roll: lettuce, red onion, tomato, peppers, mayo, brown mustard, and pepper jack cheese. If I tell you it hit the spot, that would be an understatement. It was really delicious indeed.
With time to spare, I figure I’ll revisit the local thrift shop. I pick out 3 books — a dollar each, can you believe it? — and one of them was a dictionary (smiles). I feel like I’m always winning. I know they’re just books, but when you love books, it’s a score.
Finishing out my day, I take the long way home. I now enjoy walking in the rain. When the sun shines, I love that too. But I’m all-weather now. I’m better and moving forward.