Take a second to think about the things you do every single day. It might be walking your dog, eating dinner with family, or going to the gym. These activities may seem mundane or not particularly special to you, but the fact that they happen so frequently certainly means something.
These activities are your practices; or activities that frequently occur in your life. These are usually the things that happen every day, week, or several times a month. They can also consist of the things you do that are related to hobbies and interests, or seasonal activities (like going to the beach or going on ski trips).
So, why are practices so important? If we take a closer look at our practices, we can be informed on what our core beliefs are.
The first step is to simply write down the things you do often. It may help to do this throughout the day, and keep a log of your practices for a week. What activities/actions showed up most frequently? These are the ones you want to focus on.
Looking at these practices, you want to explore the “why” behind them. Why is it that these practices show up so frequently? For example, you may go to the gym every day. While it may seem like a basic day-to-day activity for you, consider why you do it. It may be because you want to stay active. With this information, you are informed on your belief that fitness is an essential value in your life. This belief can become a key part of your story.
Although constructing your story may seem intimidating to some, identifying your practices are a great place to start. Making a list of the things you do every day, week, or month is extremely simple. Once you have this list, you can slowly build from there. Soon, you will discover the key themes that will make up your story.
