Welcome to the very first habit in the #GiveMe30HabitProject!!

See this post for all the details and backstory!

This month’s habit is hydration!

You may or may not already have this down. That’s ok, just find a way to step it up a level.

My favorite way to make sure I am prioritizing getting in enough fluids is to drink a 16 bottle of water first thing on waking before I have my tea or coffee.

Then, I make sure to carry a bottle with me everywhere I go all day long. I mean everywhere! In the car when driving, in my purse at church, when I am at my desk working, while I’m working out, etc. No matter where I go, I have a bottle and I refill it as soon as it’s empty. Seriously. As soon as it’s empty. I don’t wait until I am thirsty again, but I do it right away. If I don’t refill it immediately, I’ve found myself in the middle of doing something, lifting the empty bottle, and then setting it back down when I realize it is empty. Then this usually happens several times until I finally decide I’m really thirsty and go refill it. By then I’ve lost a chance to stay hydrated! When I’m focused on something, I don’t even want the interruption to get up and walk 10 feet to refill it. That’s how lazy we can be about habits. Since I recognize this, I plan ahead and I do whatever I can to make it easier on myself to keep a habit. If I know I won’t be able to refill the bottle I carry with me, I bring a second.

Whenever possible, I make sure to have water at a temperature that I will enjoy. When I’m hot, I try to keep a chilled bottle with me. In the winter, I find that I enjoy lukewarm or even warm water first thing on waking.

When I get bored of plain water, which isn’t often, I switch it up by drinking flavored sparking water, adding a crystal light packet, or some sliced fruit in a infusion pitcher or bottle. I know that I can make it more enjoyable by making it palatable, and this serves to keep me in the habit. Sometimes even just switching things up and drinking flavored sparkling water from a glass full of ice makes for an indulgent feeling experience!

Now that you have an idea of how the habit looks in practice, it’s your turn!

For the next 30 days:

• Drink 8-16 oz immediately upon waking.
  • Practical Tips: Start low and increase to tolerance from there. I don’t want you chugging to the point of nausea! For perspective though, there’s 8oz in a measuring cup and a regular size bottle of water is about 16oz. Not unrealistic to drink within a minute or two. Keep it on your nightstand or by the coffee pot to serve as a mental trigger/reminder.

• Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go.
  • Practical Tips: It doesn’t have to be expensive. Use what is practical and motivating for you. A reusable one is more eco-friendly, but if washing it out becomes a barrier or deterrent to use, maybe use one plastic bottle all day and then recycle it once you are done.

• Refill the bottle as soon as you can once it is empty.
  • Practical Tips: If you cannot refill it because you don’t have access to water to do so, plan ahead and bring a second bottle.

• Notice any improvements you begin to see such as energy, mood, skin, etc.
  • Practical Tips: Call these benefits to mind whenever you don’t feel like following through on your habit.

• Study how the habit is going over the month and observe what works and what doesn’t.
  • Practical Tips: Don’t judge, simply learn from feedback and pivot as needed to make it as enjoyable as possible. If you don’t like plain water, try adding flavors as noted above. Remember that carbonated water is still water. Are you more likely to reach for a glass filled with ice or a chilled bottle? Do what works for you!

• Ask a friend or your spouse to join you in this habit.
  • Practical tips: Check in with one another and share your ideas and struggles so that you can help each other stay excited about the habit.

🚨Don’t forget to share this project with others! You can share the link to this blog post as a status/post on Facebook. Feel free to save and use the image from this post, or use the ones I’ll have on my Instagram page. Whatever other means you have to get more involvement will make this more fruitful! Tweet, email, pin, etc.

Also, I encourage you to keep track of your journey and use the hashtag #GiveMe30HabitProject on social media. Please tag me in your habit progress and insights! I’ll also be glad to troubleshoot sticking points. I’m Kaci M Byrd Cheeseman on Facebook and @CheeseGirlPA on Instagram.

If you want to check in daily for accountability, you can post either a photo and/or status and use #GiveMe30HabitProject #Day1, #GiveMe30HabitProject #Day2, so on and so forth. I’d love to see how it goes and repost—only if you give me permission, of course! I’ll be searching the hashtag to see who is joining in.

Remember: What is it you want to achieve? Who do you want to become? How do you want to serve others? You may not know how to get there, or even how to get started. I just ask that you trust me and help spread the message to others so they can become involved. Keep showing up, and together we will get you there, one 30 day habit at a time!

Are you ready? Let’s get growing!!

| Kaci

P.S. If you are interested in working on a specific habit and need someone to help you troubleshoot, keep you motivated, and hold you accountable, I offer coaching a variety of ways, which you can learn more about here. My specialty is habit change and my approach is to work on mindset alongside the habit, so that it is healthy and sustainable. Whether it involves your health, finances, nutrition, exercise, relationships, or personal growth, habits are the key to success. We are the outcome of what we repeatedly do. Without addressing that, there can be no change. Learn more here!

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Reader Questions:
1/ Do you like plain water?
2/ What is your favorite way to “jazz” it up?
3/ Any tips to make sure you drink enough water?