Over the past two months, I challenged myself to do 10 minutes of static squatting every day. That small daily practice has massively impacted my life.
I have been relatively in flexible for my whole life, especially in my legs. So I have not been able to squat very deep, or stay in a deep squat for very long. My hips, hamstrings, calves, and ankles would quickly get sore and I would stand up.
That was the foundation I was starting with when I started the daily squatting challenge. Slowly, day by day, over 60 days I noticed it becoming easier and easier. I could hold a squat for longer; I felt more relaxed while squatting, and I could lower the level of support under my heels.
But more than just the primary effect squatting getting easier; I noticed the changes in my daily life. My mobility improved and I started walking with less heel striking. My back soreness went away. The general tension in my legs disappeared. It was incredible to experience. The small daily habit has improved my mobility more than doing three long yoga sessions per week and confirmed the incredible value of daily habits in my mind.
Other than squatting, every day I meditate (141 days in a row), blog (138 days in a row), and write down something I’m grateful for (125 days in a row) every single day. The effects of these activities are less obvious than the physical changes from squatting, but the mental impact has been no less significant.
I am able to stay much calmer and less stressed during the day, I notice the great things in my life more often, and I’ve improved as a writer while having a handful of articles republished on bigger sites.
I didn’t take on a massive project to reshape my life, I simply decided on three things that I would do every day and followed through with it for 1/3rd of a year. It’s not glamorous, and the change is so gradual that it can be hard to spot if you’re not paying attention, but over the course of time the impact is bigger than anything I could have accomplished with a month solely dedicated to any of the individual activities.
*If you’re thinking about adding daily challenges to your life here are a couple of things to check out:
- Why Tiny Daily Challenges Work Better Than Big Goals by Isaac Morehouse
- The Way of Life App for tracking.
- Headspace and Brain.fm for meditating
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