Got a message from tumblr saying that this blog is officially 2 years old!

It’s hilarious to me that I reach these anniversaries in the habit project specifically at times where my habits are all over the place.

I had 16 days of jam packed work travel. As such my habits are in shambles - but that’s ok. The key is to get back in the groove even if it’s not much, even if it’s not perfect (it’s not going to be).

The problem is that in addition to being depleted of energy, I’m entering one of those times that periodically comes up where I feel pulled in all directions. I’m going to call this entering a vortex, in order to give it a technical term and to distance myself by labeling it as a pattern.

A vortex is when you feel like you have to do everything at once and it should’ve been done yesterday. You lose sight of the idea that progress occurs best with one habit at a time on a specific schedule. When entering these emotional maelstroms clarity is lost.

For example, I was doing the DiSSS protocol to improve my basic travel writing. The gap caused me to freak out because I want to start another website. Should i focus on continuing my DiSSS protocol, or should I throw my energy into the writing and marketing necessary for bringing up my website. Both need to be done, but the uncertainty contributes to leaks of willpower and a feeling of hopelessness. That in turn leaks into other habits - recording, other tasks that would normally not be affected.

Lydia has suggested a few things. One is alternating weeks. One week of pushing DiSSS protocol for writing, and the next week for pushing the website. That way both tasks that need to be done ASAP are taken care of - it satisfies the need to push and improve and thus avoid the feeling of being stuck in the mud.

She also suggested that when entering a vortex, perhaps the best thing to do is put all energy into meditation for a week in order to calm the mind and prevent it from grasping to feelings of panic.

Panic really describes the vortex best - it’s caused by a chronic forgetting that progress happens across multiple fronts and a momentary amnesia regarding trusting the greater plan.