Lately, I’ve noticed that I keep leaning to one side when I unicycle, so I’ve gone back to shorter rides in the hopes of figuring out what’s causing me to lean and fixing my form. It seems to be helping thus far, so I’m going to keep at it until I’ve solved that problem. I’ve also done this when I’ve had issues with my juggling, swing dancing, exercising, and other physical hobbies. Additionally, I periodically do this in my life when I notice something I’d like to change.
I’ve learned a lot about self-improvement in a pretty short amount of time and I often forget much of what I’ve learned. Even when I write a blog post about a solid life hack, it can still slip my mind for months at a time. Sometimes, however, I ignore what I’ve learned and choose to act out my old behavior patterns. I try to take a step back during those times and assess what’s going on, figure why I’m acting the way I am, and determine what I can do to change it. Once I’ve done that, I then get ideas for possible solutions. The solutions usually involve focusing on self-care, communication, or trying to see things from someone else’s point of view. Big changes aren’t always necessary; sometimes addressing a few small things can make all the difference.
Going back to basics and reinforcing fundamentals feels like hitting the reset button. I don’t always like doing it because it can feel like taking a step backward. However, I’ve learned that sometimes I have to take a step backward in order to take several steps forward. If what I’m consistently doing isn’t working and shows no sign of improvement, then the best thing to do is get off the path I’m currently on and try something different. As difficult and uncomfortable as this can be, I’m always better off after doing it. I just hope I start realizing when I need to do this and following through with it in the days to come.