June Converse

Thriving After Trauma - Author and Writing Coach

How To Streak This?

In Streaking: The Simple Practice of Conscious, Consistent Actions That Create Life-Changing Results, the reader is encouraged to create “I Am” statements and then construct Streaks to work toward that goal/desire. The idea (as I understand it) is to start small, get streaking under the belt and then begin to stack streaks toward my ultimate “I Am”. I’ve done that. Now what?

“People who become elite in a specific area do two things with streaking: one, they stack streaks together, and two, they step up their streaks, all in a consistent pursuit of being who they want to be. The more narrowly a person defines who they want to be, the more focused their streaks.” [emphasis mine]

I’ve spent weeks playing with my “I Am” statements. I wanted to choose carefully, mindfully and, most of all, authentically. I needed to push the world’s expectations away. I thought about myself in 20 years and after I’m gone. What do I want to be true about myself? What is important for me to leave in my wake? I’ve got so many things I want to be – probably 15 “I Am” statements. But what speaks to my truest self? What really matters?

I’ve settled on these as of May 2021:

  • I am a parent who is active in my children and grandchildren’s lives in an intentional and meaningful way.
  • I am a spouse who intentionally and specifically shows gratitude and offers support.
  • I am a master and lover of my own body and I nourish her with intuitive eating and proper exercise.
  • I am a writer and a teacher.
  • I am a lifelong learner.

I have others I hope to give attention, but the five above are key to my contentment and my legacy.

Stacking Streaks

I thought deciding my “I Am” statements would be the most difficult – and it was challenging. But I’m finding that deciding on laughably simple streaks to support those goals is even harder. It’s not that I can’t come up with a whole list of tasks – that’s easy. What I’m finding challenging is uncovering the streaks that both work towards the goal AND feel authentic to me. For example, Dave talks to the kids on the phone on a very regular basis. But talking on the phone would not work for me because I have an extremely hard time focusing over the phone. What other laughably simple options are available for me to be active in a meaningful way?

What tasks support loving my own body – keeping in mind that the tasks need to be something concrete? Would reading positive affirmations do it? Would standing in front of a mirror noticing how amazing a beating heart is do it? Meditation?

What would show gratitude and support to Dave? A daily list of “thanks for X or I appreciate you because of Y”? Active listening but what does that look like in a tangible task?

I could ask the kids and Dave. But what if they suggest something that is too far out of my wheelhouse. No, I have to find this path myself.

Another Consideration

Have you ever committed to something, jumped in and then quit? Did you notice that quitting in one area made it easier to quit in another? For example, I won’t walk 10,000 steps a day anymore – I quit! Well, if I can quit that, then I can quit having a salad a day. All of a sudden, I’ve been able to wiggle out of my commitments. I want to choose carefully so that I keep streaking.

“I knew that, after setting a streak in any one of these areas, if I were to miss a day, I would feel worse than if I just felt sorry for not doing it at all.”

When I finally select the streaks, they have to be simple but also fit with who I am as a person. For example, I am not a hugger. Hugging makes me all clammy and a little nauseous. I can’t put “hug my husband every day” on my streaks. I would do it for a few days and then stop. I know this about myself and I don’t want it to be easy to stop streaking. I have to keep digging until I find the right streaks for me and my goals.

Good news. There is no rush. Just as I took a long time to determine my “I Am” statements, I can take a while to choose the right streaks. And remember, one of my streaks is to write one sentence in my journal every day. I can use that laughably, simple streak to consider, reject and accept streak ideas.

Some Initial Ideas

Beyond the three streaks I’ve already put into play, I’m pondering the following:

  • I am a parent who is active in my children and grandchildren’s lives in an intentional and meaningful way.
    • Send one of my kids or grandkids a card every week (rotating) and handwrite one letter a month.
    • Send a small gift monthly. Warning: I have a tendency to use “stuff” to show love and I want to be careful not to make this about material things.
  • I am a spouse who intentionally and specifically shows gratitude and offers support.
    • No idea!
  • I am a master and lover of my own body and I nourish her with intuitive eating and proper exercise.
    • Meditate at least 10 minutes every day (this is out of my wheelhouse but doesn’t make me feel nauseous to consider).
    • Intentionally, mindfully practice Intuitive Eating (but that’s not tangible, is it?).
  • I AM a writer and a teacher.
    • Read at least one paragraph of a craft book or an article a day (beyond the one paragraph of a non-fiction book I already do)
    • Be in a writing class OR be watching writing videos (need to refine this one).
    • Offer to teach four classes a year.
  • I AM a lifelong learner.
    • Take two courses a year that are not writing-related.

Please feel free to make suggestions. It’s hard to think outside the box but that’s where the answers are.

I know there are more and better ideas and none of those ideas have become streaks yet. Maybe they all will. Maybe none of them will. But whatever I choose, it will be right for me. They will be laughably simple, and I already feel confident I can do it. That’s what streaking has already done for me. I’ve kept my three streaks alive and every day, when I record my completion, my confidence grows.

One Added Streak

I did add one more streak and I’ve already seen results in an improved attitude and sense of confidence in my ultimate success.

“We strongly recommend that you set a streak of writing at least one sentence of your to be statements daily.”

When I open my journal, the first five sentences are the above “I AM” statements (that does not count as my one sentence of journaling). Writing those sentences keeps these goals front and center and because they are written as “I AM” not “I will be” or “I want to be”, I claim achievement instead of work for achievement.

Streaking Never Ends

If you remember, I started this book doubting the promise on page xvii:

“For those who like to know the ending before reading the beginning: at the end of this book you will have learned the laws that are necessary in order to bridge the gap between who you are and who you ultimately want to be.”

I’m no longer a doubter. I’m a STREAKER.

Next Up

While I’ll keep going back to this book, it is time I move this Self Discovery Year to the next book, Atomic Habits by James Clear . Grab a copy, join me!

I promise, though, to keep you posted on my streaking!

Journal Time

  • Have you bought Streaking? Would you be willing to invest $20 in yourself?
  • Have you developed some true “I AM” statements? If so, take the time to review them each day.
  • Have you started some streaks? Are you recording them so you can see how far you’ve come?
  • Are you willing to share?

All quotes are from Streaking: The Simple Practice of Conscious, Consistent Actions That Create Life-Changing Results. Please buy the book!

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2 comments on “How To Streak This?”

  1. Since you don’t like phone calls but do like writing, could you send a text/ write a post-it/ send an email with a memory or recollection of something you are grateful to your husband for? You have a 30 year history to draw from. “I’m grateful for the time you took Brian and I to Garden of the Gods” is quick and easy, but those memories do reinforce and bolster the attitude of appreciation.

June Converse with purple hair
Choosing to rebuild a life after a breakdown has been a challenge. I became an author and a blogger who openly shares...
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