Sometimes I am convinced I am a fully-grown toddler (for many reasons, but today we’ll only discuss one) – I love stickers.
There is something so fun about stickers. A few years ago – before I started blogging – one of my annual goals was to Use more stickers. I accomplished this in two ways. First, I added stickers to most of the letters that I sent throughout the year. If it’s fun to receive a card in the mail, isn’t it doubly fun to receive one laden with stickers?
My second – and favourite – approach, was using stickers to track my mood. In a non-intuitive twist, I opted to put a sticker on any day I didn’t feel good mentally or physically. It made patterns (e.g. Oh. Look at that. I feel terrible the three days before every menstrual cycle. Whatta you know!) quickly apparent and it gave me something fun to look forward to at the end of a miserable day. It really was a consolation to know – sure, the pipes froze and the car wouldn’t start and a child just vomited on my shoes BUT THIS MEANS I GET TO PUT A SPARKLY STICKER IN MY DAYTIMER.
I haven’t tracked my mood this way for several years (now I use a simple arrow code in my planner), but I had a brain spark this morning. A and I were cleaning out drawers in our home office over the Christmas break and I found some stickers we had inherited from a neighbour in the fall. Let’s pause for a moment to digest the fact that these sheets included actual gold stars. I had no idea how to use said stickers and stuffed them right back into drawer…until this morning when I practically lost my mind with glee when I realized I can use them to track my 30-day yoga challenge! Not only that, we inherited a lot of little coloured circle stickers and, still giddy on the high of my gold star Eureka, I decided I will use a full year spread in my planner to record each day I move my body in an intentional way (deep stretching counts; simply walking around the house for routine activites will not).
Am I using stickers generally reserved for motivating toddlers to toilet train? Yes. Am I absurdly happy with my gold stars? Yes.
That’s me. A grown woman giving herself gold stars and multi-coloured circles for doing Downward Facing Dog and Cobra on her yoga mat. And if I could, I’d give every person reading here a sheet of gold stars to use for their own Ta-Das.
Thanks for all the comments on yesterday’s post; I will be back tomorrow with some followup regarding my proposed “digital Sabbath,” the apple and lentil recipes I tried, and whatever random tidbits cross my mind between now and when I get around to writing the post!
Your turn. What habits do you track? How do you monitor/measure those habits? Does anyone else feel motivated by things like stickers, pretty markers, and washi tape?
Header photo by Kier in Sight Archives on Unsplash
Kelsey
Same, same, same! I track my workouts using a daily habit tracker and little stickers, so an adult sticker chart, and I love it so much. I’ve been joking to friends, you could put me on a sticker chart for anything and I’ll do it! When I get home from exercising and remember that I get to put another little sticker on my chart it brings me a zing! of joy which is a just a cherry on top of keeping up the habit. I do wonder what else I could put myself on a sticker chart for…? Hmmm I’m going to think about it because I love the idea. I really like your idea of tracking mood. I don’t currently use a paper planner…I wish Google Calendar would let you put a sticker on your digital calendar!
Elisabeth
“Zing” – yes, that is exactly the feeling! There is something so satisfying, yet fun, about stickers and “rewarding” ourselves. To a lesser extent, crossing an item off a list, or completely a check box provides me with the same boost.
See below for Kae’s workaround for stickers on digital calendars!
For mood I use three arrows: An up arrow = a great mood; A sideways arrow = neutral; not horrible, but not great, and a down arrow = low mood. Sometimes if it’s a REALLY great day, I’ll do two up arrows; ditto for two down arrows on an especially tough day.
Joy
Great idea! Visual tracking is life-changing. Last year I completed the most consistent thing I’ve ever done and it’s largely due to the attractive fill-in chart and pretty markers I used. After this reminder I may just need to find a way to incorporate stickers into my habit tracking as it sounds incredibly fun and satisfying!
Elisabeth
Visual tracking is very motivating for me! I can’t wait to hear about/see your sticker tracking exploits in the coming year. I can share some gold stars if you’d like! I have extra <3
Grateful Kae
Trying to respond to Kelsey but it won’t let me on my phone right now … Google calendar may not exactly let you put stickers but it does let you add emojis! So you could create a “full day event” (so the item isn’t assigned to a specific time, but just up at the top) and then add an emoji (✅ or 😃 or ⭐️ or whatever!) after or before it if you do it, in the event title! 🙂
Elisabeth
This is genius!
Lisa's Yarns
I only track workouts and days in the office. I track them in a Gantt chart in my W222 planner. I have a code system for both. My company is very serious about their in officer requirement but it doesn’t account for things like travel so I track on my own so I can prove that I’ve been holding up my end of the deal if there is ever a question!!
The stickers are very fun! I like stickers but don’t use them anywhere! We have used stickers for Paul in the past when working on night training – they are an excellent motivator!
Elisabeth
I want pictures of this! I would love to see your tracking/code system!
Amanda P.
I also love stickers. Every Friday afternoon I fill out my planner week for the upcoming week and then decorate it with a variety of stickers. It makes me so happy and has meant I actually use my planner week after week.
Elisabeth
Fun! I should start doing this when I plan out my week. This year’s version of the Sprouted Planner even comes with a whole page of stickers at the back. This would make my weekend planning routines even more fun. Yay…excited to up my sticker game now.
Beckett @ Birchwood Pie
I’ve never had a paper planner, but if I did I would be all over the stickers. The closest that I’ve come is that I have some funny cat stickers that I put on the wall calendar in our dining room on birthdays and anniversaries. You’re never too old to get a gold star!
Elisabeth
Funny cat stickers for the win.
And you’ve never had a paper planner!!! I have tried so many times to use Google calendar but it just doesn’t stick. I hate planning digitally. On the other hand, John basically lives and breathes by his Google Cal. Takes all kinds, I guess <3
NGS
…the pipes froze and the car wouldn’t start and a child just vomited on my shoes BUT THIS MEANS I GET TO PUT A SPARKLY STICKER IN MY DAYTIMER. I’ll admit that this made me laugh so much. I mean, way to try and put a rosy face on puke!
I adore stickers and put them on just about every letter I send out. Stickers for always. I don’t put them in my goal tracker, though, but maybe I should. Maybe I only get a sticker for doing non-daily goals. Like, no stickers for me for walking Hannah because I’m going to do that no matter what. But maybe a sticker for cleaning out the totes under the bed would work? (Ha ha. You and I know it’s not going to work – those totes will still be disorganized when I die – and the irony is that the stickers are stored in one of those totes and their lack of organization is a constant struggle for me.)
Elisabeth
There were some ROUGH days that year. But I at least I had stickers.
Okay, this is ironic and I am slowly dying over here because I JUST WANT TO COME OVER AND ORGANIZE THOSE TOTES WITH YOU. Engie, every ounce of my wants to organize these totes!!!
Here’s a deal, if you clear out the totes under your bed (and send photographic proof), I’ll send you stickers all the way from Nova Scotia <3
Nicole MacPherson
Oh, yoga with Adriene! I know many people who have done her 30-day classes. Enjoy!
Elisabeth
It has been great…though I’m sore. Oof.
Corey
I love this! Someday when I actually write my book, there will be a whole chapter called “Sticker Therapy.” I gave stickers out to my clients and I give them to my staff because 1) everyone loves stickers and 2) if you do hard things, you should get a sticker. The adults love them FAR more than the kids do. And I love the idea of marking hard days with a sticker. It kind of says, “Yay! You survived! Gold star for you!”
Elisabeth
Sticker therapy. Love it <3
Every day is better if it includes a gold star, right?!
Gigi
Kinda off topic re: stickers – but I don’t think I’ve tracked anything in a VERY long time. Maybe I should re-visit that…and throw in some stickers to mark my progress. That would probably encourage me to continue tracking whatever I need to track.
Elisabeth
Tracking is over-rated, I think. It can start to feel stale. I have to be careful not to measure too much. At this point I have tracked my mood every day for over a year and can do it a few days at a time (as in I can remember Monday and Tuesday on Wednesday and do all three at the same time). I also write in my One Line A Day Journal daily. Other than that, I have gone back and forth with tracking exercise, and I do track some women’s health metrics but those aren’t daily!
But yes…stickers make everything more exciting. Plus, they’re inexpensive and take up very little space!
Jenny
Stickers are definitely fun! After I sent out my first batch of Christmas cards this year I thought “This would be even better with stickers” so I bought some snowflake stickers to put on the envelopes (your card was in the sticker-less first batch- sorry!) Using stickers to track things is a great idea- I’m going to try that. I’m reading through the comments and it’s pretty funny how many people love stickers! (As I read over this comment I realized I used the word “sticker” an absurd amount of times- I even deleted one.)
Elisabeth
I just got your card today and it was SO fun. Loved it – such a happy thing.
Sticker, sticker, sticker!! It’s okay. Say it often and loud and proud. Stickers are fun! And I’m excited you’re going to track things with stickers <3
Sarah
Treat yourself like a toddler— Gretchen Rubin says this all the time, so it must be great advice. I love this!
Elisabeth
You have a toddler – I bet you have LOTS of great advice for how I can better treat myself like one.
I just need someone to start rubbing my back as I fall asleep at night and buttering my toast in the morning <3
Ernie
Reading in reverse order . . . ready to get the deeds on the digital Sabbath.
I use stickers to motivate my potty training peeps. I still have a ton of stickers that my kids?got from Disney characters when we visited Disney World. What are we saving those for?
Since the pandemic when i started working out at home, I use a?binder to note which online class I do and the date I did it and then I rate the workout. Now I can just look back and find my fav workouts, so I know that I am about to do a great class.
Elisabeth
Ha – like I said, most people use stickers for TODDLERS, but here we are; they’re pretty and fun and whimsical.
I LOVE that idea of rating workouts; genius.
Diane
Are your literal gold stars going to make it onto your “Gold Stars” post? How very meta that would be!
I track so many things – I’m trying to figure out what planner to use right now for tracking. I thought I’d change things up a little this year, but it’s not feeling quite right yet. I don’t know if it’s a time thing or something more fundamental.
I love the look of stickers and washi tape, but I don’t know if it’s really my style? And one more thing that I would have to keep track of and use. Although I do have a love for multi-color pens to help with organizing my thoughts. I think that is one of my new stationary loves this past year.
Elisabeth
Whoa…I hadn’t thought that far ahead about the gold stars. Meta indeed and I LOVE it!
San
I couldn’t love this more if I tried. I think everyone needs more stickers in their lives (and I purposefully bought a planner for this year that has stickers!) Ha 🙂
Elisabeth
Yay stickers!
J
I love that you’re doing Yoga with Adriene this year! Maybe you’ve done the 30 days before, I’m not sure. I use her 30 day videos often for my several time a week yoga practice, but am increasing it to every day this month for the challenge. Then what will I do in February? Maybe repeat it? I’m not sure. I read this post in my email a couple of days ago but was too busy to come comment, and had to come tell you that now when I do my morning yoga, I think, ‘Elisabeth and I are doing this together!’. 🙂 I don’t use stickers, but I have been writing in my little calendar for every day that I do it. I write ‘YAS’ (Like, YAS GAGA!) for Yoga Alcohol Strength (I’m doing dry January, but YDS didn’t make me as happy as YAS. I’m doing a 30 day strength thing too, just adding a bit every day. It’s pushups, squats, crunches, and lunges. I’m thinking when February comes, I will start over, but do more reps. We’ll see.
Elisabeth
Aww. So fun. We’re yoga buddies. I just finished my Saturday video (we ran errands this morning so I did it in the afternoon, but every other day it has been a morning). I think when this month is over I MIGHT do another one of her 30-day challenges?
Anne
I… am not a sticker person. (*ducks*)
I know, right? But they just don’t work for me. I do journal nightly (and briefly) in an app I love, and I suspect that there is a sticker/emoji function in that, but I’ve never sought it out. Hm. I’ll have to check in to that, and see if it helps me see which are better days than others.
I just love that you – of all people! – got GOLD STAR STICKERS and just tossed them in a drawer?!?! You are the gold star queen! I’m so glad you finally realized the joy they can bring to your life. <3
Elisabeth
It did feel inevitable that I get gold star stickers, right?
Tobia | craftaliciousme
I love this so much. I bet a whole year in colored circles for moods would be so fun to look at. Imagine doing it for several years and you would see which months are happiest and if there are down month. I almost want to do this now.
I do have ridiciousely many stickers for being in my 40s and not having kids in the household. I should use them more and not just keep. It is stupid if you don’t use things.
Elisabeth
I hope this is the year you use all sorts of stickers <3