As you may know, I am a big fan of the 30 Day Trial system developed by one widely known personal growth blogger and am embarking on a new trial this month. Several years ago I made the switch from coffee to black tea and enjoyed tremendous benefits. I felt better, slept better, and even enjoyed the tea more than coffee. Now, for the next thirty days, I’m swapping out the black tea for green tea in yet another attempt to scale back my caffeine intake and improve my overall quality of life.

The best part of a 30 Day Trial is the opportunity it affords you to get invested in a decision and really test it out enough to get legitimate results. At the same time, these trials make it easy to change back to old behavior patterns at the end of thirty days.

Benjamin Franklin believed it required at least 21 days to create a habit and keep it. This is the other great benefit of the 30-day system. If the results are positive, at the end of the trial you’ll have developed the beginnings of a habit.

Neural pathways offer a similar framework for understanding behavior change and habit formation. Studies in this field have shown that our brains develop neural “grooves” that create habits and consistent ways of behaving and seeing the world. As of now, my brain has a very deep caffeine and black tea neural groove, which I have developed over many years of consistent and even scheduled behaviors.

As you can see, changing a behavior is not a simple matter of deciding to do it. The best approach is to use a system that works. And based on my previous experience with the 30 Day Trial, this is one of the best ways of encouraging change in my life. Plus, I get to remind myself that when the 30 days is up, I can go back to the former behavior if I decide it really is superior.

Again, I want to give very clear credit here to Steve Pavlina for the popularization of this unique and very effective system.

During my trial period with green tea, I’ll be offering occasional feedback results here on MindfulSource.com to let you know how it’s going and whether this green tea craze is really what it’s cracked up to be. My first day of the trial was February 16, and the last day will fall on March 16.

As of this writing (just a few days in), I am experiencing a lot of very positive side effects from the switch and very few negative effects.

On the negative end, I am periodically feeling slightly irritable and mildly frustrated for no particular reason. My patience seems to be limited and difficult to sustain in the absence of caffeine. Also, I am experiencing some slight digestive changes. (I’ll spare you the details.) Nothing too discouraging as this likely will adjust with time.

On the positive end, my “natural energy” level is way up. I feel much clearer in my thinking and am finding it easier to focus on tasks during work periods. I am also finding it easier to sleep and to stay asleep. One of my major motivators for making this switch was a recent bout of mild insomnia. Essentially, I was finding it difficult to get to sleep in the evenings because of excessive caffeine intake earlier in the day. After even just a few days of the switch, I am already seeing great improvements in this area.

Another positive benefit I didn’t exactly anticipate is a general reduction in body temperature. I tend to run a little hotter than most people and often find the increased heat levels uncomfortable and distracting.

Although most of the results so far are positive, the results are not entirely consistent just yet. My improved focus and energy levels are occasionally clouded or interrupted by intermittent periods of fatigue and an inability to focus. This is the strangest part of the process for me so far.

Interested in joining me in my trial? Leave a comment below or simply start today! I’d also like to hear about your personal results. If you’d prefer a private message, complete our site contact form.

About the Author

Jason Clegg is the founder of MindfulSource.com and a regular contributor. He is passionate about personal growth, entrepreneurship, and mindful living. Jason lives in Fresno, California, where he works as an Internet Marketing Consultant.

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