Friday, May 25, 2007

Habit forming

It has been a long time since I have played the RevGalBlogPal's Friday Five.... but here we are.

This week we are talking about habits:

1. Have you ever successfully quit a bad habit, or gotten a good habit established? Tell us about how you did it.

17 years ago this August I quit a pack-and-a-half-a-day Camel Filters habit. How I did it: For about 3 months before the quit date, I told myself that as of that date I was going to be a non-smoker. I repeated this to myself all day long. I told everyone who would listen. I chose a symbolic date and pictured it in my head. This was long before internet support, so I bought a little book by the American Lung Association that had a step by step daily program for the first three weeks. It was brutal, but I did it. And have been smoke free since. (Well, except for the very occasional cigar... but I have even given those up now. I promised my kids I would never smoke again if they would promise never to start.)


2. "If only there were a 12-step program for _________________!"

Hello, my name is Rachel and I am a nap addict....

3. Share one of your healthy "obsessions" with us.

This one is so obvious. God.

4. Share the habit of a spouse, friend or loved one that drives you C-R-A-Z-Y.

My husband, because he has an underbite, chews funny, especially if his food is hot. Blow on the food, honey. It really works.

5. "I'd love to get into the habit of ___________________."

Exercising? Nah.

Praying daily? Been doing it pretty regularly since Easter.

Doing laundry once in awhile? Yup. And actually putting it away. That would be a GREAT habit to form.

Bonus: What is one small action you might take immediately to make #5 a reality?

Stick the current load into the dryer before it mildews and has to be washed a second time. As in, today. Like, right now.

Bonus 2: Try it, and let us know how it goes in a future post!

Really want to know? OK!

12 comments:

Sally said...

well played- love the laundry thing- why O why does it appear so fast???

Iris said...

Yeah, putting away the laundry. If my husband were doing this meme, that would be my annoying habit he would write about. I'll fold the clothes, but not get around to actually putting them away. Glad I'm not the only one!

Also, congrats on quitting smoking! That's terrific!

Melissa said...

Ahh....laundry...

Di said...

Thank heavens I'm not the only one who has to re-wash things because I've forgotten about them...

Terri said...

Ok, I'm with you on all of these...good play and thanks for sharing!

Shelly said...

Laundry, that remind me.....,
Actually, I am a folding freak. I have to fold everything, even if God didn't intend for it to be folded.

Jennifer Garrison Brownell said...

ditto what mrs m said

shonatiger said...

hi rachel, it's been a while... but i try to visit your blog occasionally. anyway, i have tagged you, i really hope you can participate. my post is at http://shonatiger.blogspot.com/2007/05/7-things-about-me-meme.html.

hope to hear 7 things about you! (and i hope you had not done this before!)

shonatiger said...

oh and lol at your friday five! hope your brother enjoys his trip.. been in Oz, myself, about to head back home to Southern Africa and must say i miss it in little ways! thanks for stopping by my blog.. 'Bless.

Rachel Nguyen said...

Embarrassing update:

Rewashing even as I type.

Sigh.

Anonymous said...

Yea for you on quitting the cigarettes. I have been quit for about 19 years and it was the worst thing I have ever done. Of course I have never given birth...

Anonymous said...

I mean, it was the BEST thing, you know what I mean. It was horribly hard.

thassall.