With the new month came a new personal development challenge. As February’s #MinsGame was such a resounding success, when March rolled in, with all the blustery, freezing wintery tendrils still clinging to Ottawa, it seemed time to start a new challenge. So, at the beginning of the month, I set out to do two small things that [allegedly] make a huge difference: meditation and flossing. Seemed like a good goals – so how did I do?

Meditate:

From what I understand, meditation is the magical pill for everything – from anxiety to concentration, creativity to actually changing your brain. There are a lot of wildly successful people who meditate, and several very lovely individuals in my life who regularly practice mediation and attribute the abundance of good things they have in their life, at least in part, to meditation. In any case, it seemed worth giving meditation a fair shake.

By all accounts, meditation is just the thing that I need to dust out the corners of my brain, to focus more, and to generally be a better person.

By meditating, perhaps I can create spaces in my life, that make it a little bit more beautiful.

(from http://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/

So, how am I doing?

The first two weeks went quite well. I decided to meditate before bed, and would set a timer for 10 minutes, put this weighted, aromatherapy eye bag over my face, and breathed. Quickly, I soon realized a very tangible benefit of the practice in that I was able to fall asleep much easier (as opposed to my previous technique of pre-sleep Instagram checks).

However, I have really fallen off the wagon this week, but it is not too late. There are 11 days left in March, so I am hoping to get back at it and salvage the end of this challenge. My penance for missing so many days is to add a meditation challenge to April as well. One of these days, I am gonna get this down.

Floss:

It is funny how I can be berated for YEARS from the dental hygienist and still refuse to floss regularly. You know the conversation: “So, how often do you floss?” asks the masochistic, upbeat hygienist, knowing the answer quite clearly as your gums bleed everywhere. I have flossed arbitrarily throughout my life – sometimes a couple days in a row, sometimes one a week (or two). This seems like one of those “everyday habits of adults” that I feel like it might be time I master.

So, how am I doing?

Remarkably well! I actually ran out of floss (which is something that I didn’t think was possible, considering the vast stores I have stockpiled from various visits to the dentist and burst of motivation whilst browsing the isles of the drug store). I have only missed 2 days (and I flossed twice the following days).

I have caught myself [very proudly] proclaiming to near strangers that I FLOSS!! They don’t seem to share my enthusiasm – I think many people believe that this is a normal thing that normal adults do, not realizing what a personal triumph I feel this is!

In any case, for the first time ever, I might be excited to see my dental hygienist, because check out these gums! A work of art, really! In sum, this is how I now feel about flossing:

… the added monthly challenge

One of the reasons why my meditation challenge went off the rails is that I simultaneously embarked on an “Analytic of the Heart” adventure, where I have flung myself headlong into the [soon-to-be-charted] waters of online dating. I took Ron Swanson’s advice to heart:

So I have leapt into the fray with great enthusiasm. I have yet to decide how much or how little to share with the internet, but suffice to say, the “meet men” aspect of March has been rather excellent, adding a hint of chaotic fun to the end of winter.

That is all for now. I am off to explore Vancouver for a couple of days. Happy International Day of Happiness everyone!! Hope you are doing something that gives you joy!