"I Did That"
You just did something well, or got through something hard. Notice it while it's fresh.
"I Did That" is one of the 108 practices in 108 Moments. It is a mindfulness practice you do with your eyes open, in the middle of an ordinary day. There is nothing to sit down for. You carry one line with you, and each time you catch the moment it describes, that counts.
How to try it today
- Read the line once in the morning: You just did something well, or got through something hard. Notice it while it's fresh.
- Go about your day. When you catch it happening, that is one moment.
- Count it. Move a bead, or tap once in the app.
- Aim for eighteen moments. Fewer still counts, and a missed day is not a failure.
How to practice "I Did That"
What to look for
The presentation landed. The hard conversation happened and everyone survived. The week that looked impossible on Monday is somehow behind you. The catch is noticing it and letting "I did that" be said, in your head, without a discount attached. The common miss is the instant asterisk — *anyone could have, it wasn't a big deal, I got lucky.* Some things are luck. Most of what you get through is you.
Why it works
Your internal record-keeping is systematically biased: misses get logged automatically and in detail; things done well get processed as "no incident" and never make the file. So the record says you mostly make mistakes, when the truth is you mostly handle things — the record just never captured that side. "I did that" is a bookkeeping correction. This family's claims stay behavioral on purpose: no trial is needed to establish that a ledger recording only debits will always show you in the red.
Where you might catch it
After sending the email
You finally sent the email you had been putting off for days. The tone was right and the facts were clear. Before you open the next tab, notice it. Say "I did that" in your head. Skip the part where you add that it took too long.
Walking out of a meeting
Your part of the meeting went fine. You answered the hard question without freezing. On the walk back to your desk, catch it. Let the thought land plainly: I did that. If your mind jumps to the one slide that ran long, notice the jump. Then come back to what went well.
The kids out the door
Breakfast happened. Shoes found, lunches packed, everyone in the car more or less on time. Most mornings this counts as nothing. Notice it as you pull out of the driveway. That was a lot of moving parts, and you handled them. You can say so without adding that it was chaos.
After a tough phone call
You made the call you were dreading. Maybe it was the insurance company, or a friend you owed an apology. It's over now and you're still standing. Notice that as you put the phone down. You did something tough. The relief is real, and so is the part you played.
Fixing something at home
The drain is unclogged. The shelf is up and it sits straight. You followed a video and it worked. Standing back to look at it is a good moment to catch. Let yourself think, I did that. Leave out the line about how anyone could have done it.
Lying down at night
The day had a deadline, a sick kid, and a flat tire. You got through all of it. As your head hits the pillow, notice that. Leave the list for tomorrow alone for a moment. Just let the plain fact register. A tough day happened, and you carried it to the end.
If it isn't clicking
I talk myself out of it right away
The asterisk shows up fast: it was easy, anyone could have. That's the habit this practice is catching. You don't have to argue with it. Notice the discount as it arrives. That still counts as noticing. Then say the plain version once more. I did that. Full stop.
Nothing I did today seems worth noticing
Small things count. Getting out of bed on a bad morning counts. Answering the email you were avoiding counts. The record in your head files these as no incident, so they feel like nothing. Look for anything that took effort, even a little. That is enough to catch.
It feels like bragging
Nobody hears this but you. You aren't telling anyone you're great. You're just noting what happened, accurately. If the presentation went well, saying so in your head is a fact, not a boast. You can keep it quiet. The point is that it gets noticed at all.
Six levels deep
This page covers the first level. In the app, "I Did That" goes six levels deep, with its own line at each one. The move stays the same. Only where you point it changes.
- NoticeJust catch it. Nothing else. There is no wrong answer.
- RelateCatch it. Then notice how you took it.
- Turn TowardPoint it at the hard stuff on purpose.
- SteadyDo it on bad days too. Tired days. Busy days.
- WidenPoint it wider. Strangers. Crowds. People you avoid.
- RadiateSpot a chance to pass it on. Taking it is up to you.
Questions
Why do I always focus on my mistakes and not my wins?
Mistakes tend to grab attention right away and get replayed. Things that go fine often pass without a second thought. Over time, the mental record fills up with misses. Noticing your wins on purpose, right as they happen, gives the other side of the record a chance to be written.
Is it arrogant to give yourself credit?
Not when it's accurate. Arrogance is claiming more than you did. This practice is about claiming what you actually did, no more and no less. Some things really are luck, and you can say so. But most of what you get through takes your effort, and that deserves to be noticed.
How do I stop downplaying my accomplishments?
Catch the downplay as it happens. It often sounds like 'it was nothing' or 'I just got lucky.' You don't need to fight it. Notice it, then say the plain version in your head: I did that. Each small catch like this is one moment noticed.
How long does "I Did That" take?
Each catch takes a second or two. You do not set time aside. The practice runs in the background of whatever you are already doing, and you count the moments you catch.
Is this meditation?
Not the sit-down kind. It is informal mindfulness: paying attention on purpose during ordinary moments, with your eyes open and your day still moving.
Do I need the necklace?
No. The app keeps count for you. The necklace is an optional way to keep count with your hands: eighteen beads, two strands of nine.