One of the reasons I have so many reminders and alarms on my phone is to help me lock in all my daily routines and goals. I really do admire people who are able to do the same thing every day, come what may. My models offline and a couple of people from Hive I admire. There’s something powerful about it. Looking at them, it feels as though they do it effortlessly, yet personally,the struggle to keep up with my own goals is very real.
Consistency is one trait I really want to have. It stands out for me. In my relationships (I don't want to be a friend that shows up one day and disappears the rest of the week), in reaching my goals, in absolutely everything, it just touches every aspect of life. There’s something admirable about people who show up for themselves and others, no matter the season or mood. I want to be like that.
“Keep doing it every day, then it becomes a part of you.” That’s what they say about building consistency. It’s true. But for someone who gets easily bored, distracted, or just lacks motivation some days, I find it hard to lock in on anything. At the beginning, I’m usually very excited about starting something new. I define my goals, I break them into steps, and I get to work. Day 1, day 2, everything goes smoothly. I’m ticking off my streaks, feeling good. Then after a while, maybe weeks, I start losing momentum, miss a day, then two. Suddenly, I’ve lost the flow. And at that point, starting over feels like climbing a mountain.
I’ve had to hit that reset button multiple times, in different areas of my life. As a student, when I couldn’t keep up with my reading streaks. In friendships, when I just wasn’t present enough. Even in my hobbies, like learning French with Duolingo. That owl probably rolls its eyes at me with every missed reminder and broken streak.
But despite all that, I’ve learned to give myself some credit. One thing I admire about people who are consistent isn’t just their ability to stick with it, it’s how they always come back. I once heard someone I look up to say, “Consistency isn’t perfection. It’s about coming back again and again.” And it made a lot of sense. I came to realise I don’t have to beat myself up when I fall off. If I keep coming back, then maybe giving myself a little credit won't hurt anyone.
That mindset has helped me a lot. I’ve stopped aiming for flawless routines. I’m focusing more on progress and less on pressure. On some days, I show up fully. On others, I do what I can. And when I fail? I rest, then restart. That’s my new flow.
I’ve also learned that consistency doesn’t have to look the same for everyone. It’s not about ticking every box perfectly. It’s about building a flow that works for you. And for me, that includes those multiple alarms, soft reminders, and sometimes, honest conversations with myself.
So even though I haven’t mastered it yet, I still admire it deeply. I still want to go all the way for it. Because I know that one day, someone might look at my life and say, “You’re so consistent." And when that day comes, I’ll smile, not because I was perfect, but because I kept coming back.
I totally live for that day.