A New Habit

I've been out of studying for a little while now, mostly due to putting sleep before flashcards. But some recent reading I've been doing has inspired me not to let myself slack off like I have for the past week or two.

The crux of the reading I've been doing is this: "You're not bad at what you're trying to do - you're just not used to it...yet. Keep going. You'll get it eventually."

Doesn't that just make total sense?

Think about it. A child is born into the world knowing nothing of language or speech patterns or vocabulary or grammar. He passively listens to the language of his parent's, and one day, words start coming out of his mouth. Then come phrases, followed by simple sentences, followed by long sentences, followed by fluency and speech so rapid one can't help but think, "He must have been doing this his whole life."

Well, the same things goes for everything I think.

Want to play the sanshin well? Start playing. Don't sit around and think about how you want to play - just play.

Want to speak Japanese or another foreign language? Don't sit around and discuss studying - just study. Words, grammar, kanji, whatever. Find it and use it.

Want to run a marathon? Then start running. Even if you can only do 2 minutes, if you keep doing it, 2 minutes will turn into 2 hours...you just have to keep doing it.

I'm getting back into my study habit, and starting a few new ones: twice weekly blog posts (or at least writing them to be posted later, in the event I don't have 'net access), even if I don't think I have anything to say; and taking my camera with me wherever I go, taking pictures of whatever I see, because I'm not going to get better at taking photographs if I don't start taking photographs. I might even throw in a little bit of meditation every day, because let me assure you, there is too much stuff running around in my head on any given day. I could use the personal respite.

So what is it that you want to do? Whatever it is, start today. And don't stop. Just keep going. You won't be perfect, but nobody's expecting you to be. You'll probably even make a lot of mistakes or doubt if the method you're using is right, or if what you're doing is even worth it. It is totally worth it! You'll get there. And imagine how rewarding that day will be when you can play everyone's favorite traditional songs on their traditional instrument, or talk to anyone you meet in their own language, or run around your town or city for hours at a time, taking in sights you'd never see in a car.

Every day is another chance to get a little bit better. Why wait?