Day 29 of Daily Footprint Project. A milestone in my ‘trying to be green‘ trajectory. I was feeling good. My heart light for a change, and ready to make room for new experiences. ‘How about biking to the gym?‘ I asked Prad. It’s been months already, since Prad started biking around town. Now, I wanted to join him.
I peaked outside. The sun was there, and the air was just right. Helmet, gloves, backpack, bike lock, jacket. I felt the excitement of a five year old on her first bike adventure. And off, we went. Three miles along quiet streets. The pleasure of making up our route, and playing hide and seek with traffic. ‘Pervenche‘ was being a good bike, no fuss, and easy on my legs. I arrived at the gym, with the exhilaration of someone who had just accomplished a major feat. Mostly, I was feeling so proud. I had overcome my resistance to biking, and entered the select crowd of town bikers, and serious greenies.
As I look back on my days of leaving ‘Pervenche‘ out sitting on our porch, I realize the hardest thing was making the leap, of deciding to go, just once. I have written before about inertia. How to conquer this incredible force is of utmost importance to the challenge of getting people to green their behaviors. Here are ten things that helped me with ‘Pervenche‘:
- Having a ‘contract’ with a supportive community, in this case the people who read and comment on La Marguerite. Also, Prad my husband and Green Guru in residence.
- Not doing it alone. Going with Prad was a great incentive.
- Seizing the moment. Going when the heart and mind both coalesce to welcome this new experience
- Not getting discouraged, and chastising oneself, for being bad.
- Keep talking to your community about your ongoing struggles
- Visualize the personal benefits of your new behavior, here the pleasure of biking with Prad
- Make that small first step, whatever that means. Grabbing the helmet was 99% of the battle
- Build your new behavior into your existing routine. Biking to the gym made perfect sense, and enhanced my exercise regimen.
- Do not take on another new behavior until you have established this one.
- Repeat this mantra to yourself: ‘Just do it!‘
I tell Prad I am just finishing writing an article about our bike adventure yesterday. Words from the mouth of Green Guru:
‘The bike adventure has to continue . . .‘
Daily Footprint Project Daily Log Day #29 Water personal: flush toilet 2 wash face 2 brush teeth 2 wash hands 4 shower at pool 2 mom: wash fruit communal: rinse dishes wash salad Electricity/gas personal: electric toothbrush 4’ microwave tea 2’ microwave milk 2’ laptop on half day microwave oatmeal 4’ microwave soup 3’ mom: communal: cook crepes on stove 15’ lights Food personal: tea organic milk organic persimmons 1 organic apples 2 organic chocolate oatmeal takeout barley soup from Whole Foods whole wheat bread mom: sandwich with veggies and leftover chicken gas water with orange juice organic apple communal: crepes with organic milk Italian prosciutto organic salad organic eggs Swiss cheese Waste personal: toilet paper soup carton mom: communal: 3 newspaper plastic wrappers Recycling personal: mom: communal: 2 papers Transportation personal: mom: drive car back from school (girls needed it to transport supplies for the dance) 2 miles communal: Non food shopping personal: mom: communal:
La Marguerite 
this makes me soooo happy for you – congratulations on your first steps
i feel proud too for you
here the ice covered the sidewalk – the dog could not even get her footing – comical actually
an accident occured on my corner as a car slid through the intersection
i struggle with maintaining the kindof walk i was getting so good at ( hard to get your heart rate up when you step gingerly) and getting my dogs yah-yah’s out – can’t get very far with this ice
anyway your weather makes me envious
Mother Earth aka Karen Hanrahan
http://www.bestwellnessconsultant.com
Thanks for your ongoing support, Karen. Every Green Wannabe needs a Mother Earth like you!