Join The Consistency Collective
As women — as mothers, professionals, caregivers — we juggle a lot.
We take on a lot.
And often, without noticing, we learn to deprioritize ourselves.
That, too, is a habit. A behavior shaped early — through stories, expectations, and the environments we grew up in.
Curiosity about behavior has followed me everywhere. It still does.
Since 2020, I’ve been studying a different subject just as closely: myself.
My habits.
My energy.
My rhythm.
My JOY.

I’ve learned that habits aren’t productivity hacks — they’re behavioral systems that shape joy, burnout, and resilience.
Joy isn’t indulgent. It’s foundational.
Over time, I’ve learned this the hard way…

Not prioritizing joy isn't selfless—it's how we create unhappy families, stressed workplaces, and frustrated versions of ourselves.
For years, life consumed me.
External demands. Endless busyness.
To-do lists that kept me moving but not toward anything meaningful for my future self.
I had dreams. Aspirations. Things I desperately wanted time for.
But wanting isn't enough.
"You are what you consistently do."
Your behaviors today define who you're becoming tomorrow.
So I started running small experiments on myself.
Capsule-sized behavioral changes that invest in the future self I am becoming.
Not through willpower or massive disruption—through a system that builds discipline into an already-full life.
So, I decided to question that exact belief that was limiting me…

What happens when I stop overthinking my future and start shipping small, visible actions—one capsule at a time?

What happens when I stop overthinking my future and start shipping small, visible actions—one capsule at a time?

If you are here for the first time… Welcome to my live blog
Habit Capsules is my personal blog—a living experiment in building consistent habits, especially when your life is already full.
A living experiment in consistent habits for real lives — no perfection, no burnout.
Here's What I'm Doing in 2026
I'm running a public experiment—tracking my habits in real-time, sharing the data, the failures, the tiny wins, and everything I'm learning about what actually works for building lasting habits.
This is a working journal.
Every Sunday, I send observations from my experiment lab to women who are building habits in the margins—between demanding jobs, family needs, and the beautiful chaos of real life.
If you're tired of starting over, I'd be honored to have you along for the journey.
Why Listen to Me?
In 2020, I tracked 6 habits for 200+ days. Turned personal devastation into data. Discovered why traditional habit advice fails—especially for women.
I tested the system I built with 12 women
Not because they suddenly became "disciplined." But because the system worked with their lives, not against them.
Hi 👋🏼, I'm Tina
I'm in my mid-40s, mom to an 18-year-old, and a growth marketing consultant who's spent 20+ years studying why people do what they do—and how behavior translates into real business outcomes.
I've lived across three Countries USA, Germany and India. I've had the gift of wonderful mentors who believed in me when I didn't believe in myself.
I learned that communities rise when women rise.
And women rise when we stop running on empty, pretending we're fine.
This space is my way of giving back. If even one thing here lightens your load, it's worth it.
This space is different. It's personal.

How This Started: The 200-Day Experiment

In 2020, I was tired of excuses. Tired of that inner voice whispering, "Accept it—you're just not disciplined enough." But I had questions. Real questions. And I wanted answers. Questions like: What happens when I miss a day? Does everything really fall apart? Do I actually lack discipline? Or is the system broken? What about those days when my energy is zero—am I supposed to just power through? So I turned to Google Sheets. Built my own tracker. One that didn't make 'streaks' the hero, which in practical terms means - not punishing me for being human—for having a sick kid, a rough week, or a body that needed rest. Just the sound of that was motivating for me. I tracked six habits. Every single day. For over 200 days. And the data started answering my questions. Turns out: Missing a day didn't ruin everything—cumulative progress still grew I wasn't undisciplined—I was using the wrong system Consistency mattered, but not the way traditional advice claimed Energy levels fluctuated predictably (hello, hormonal cycles) That data revealed something bigger: "Everything we're told about building habits—the 21-day myth, streak-based tracking, willpower-driven approaches—is built on research that never studied women's real lives. Traditional habit formation advice ignores all of these. So I built a system that embraced these realities. After 200+ days, I had answers. I tested the system with 12 women in early 2022. Every single one completed the program. That system worked so well, I stepped away from it for three years. The habits stuck. They became permanent. Why? Because once you understand the system, it becomes second nature. Now in 2026, I have new questions. Same experimental approach. But this time, I'm sharing the whole messy process publicly.

What Are Habit Capsules?
Unlike streak-based habit trackers that reset to zero when you miss a day (triggering shame spirals), Habit Capsules measure cumulative progress.
Think compound interest, not perfection.
Consistency doesn’t come from trying harder.
It comes from making it easier to begin.
How It Works:
Simply put -
Each "capsule" is the smallest unit of effort that you cannot say 'no' to on your busiest of days.
These capsules accumulate over time.
Miss a day? Your progress doesn't vanish. You pick up where you left off.
Because real life is messy.
And sustainable change needs to accounts for that.
  • 2 minutes of movement
  • One paragraph of journaling
  • A single glass of water
  • Five minutes of meditation
Real Example from 2020:
I defined "1 Habit Capsule for Yoga" as 10 minutes. Some days I did 10 minutes. Some days 60. Some days zero. But my "Habit Wealth" kept growing because I showed up often enough.
After 200 days: I was someone who does yoga—not someone trying to maintain a streak.

Want to see this in action?
Habit Priming is the preparation that makes consistency easier before Day 1.
How it compares
Streak-Based Apps
Success is Consecutive days
Miss one day means reset to zero
Triggers shame spirals
Designed for predictable schedules
You vs. the app
Best for simple habits
Habit Capsules
Success is Cumulative progress
Miss a day yet - Keep your wealth
Celebrates showing up
Designed for complex lives
Community-supported
Best for women with full lives
What You'll Find in This Working Journal
This isn't a polished productivity blog. It's a public experiment notebook on habit formation—real-time experiments, honest failures, that unpacks our behaviors in our context - In essence the behavior science.
You'll find:
Real experiments with my own habits and the data behind them—including what spectacularly fails
The neuroscience of habit formation translated for real life (no PhD required)
Frameworks you can adapt to your own beautifully complex, already-full life
Honest reflections on becoming—the messy, non-linear journey of building a life with intention
What I'm learning might help you too. Or at least save you from my mistakes.
Why don't habits stick?
(And Why Nothing Is Wrong With You)
For years, I told myself I couldn't stick to habits because
I didn't have enough time.
I convinced myself it was because
I'm a working mom with too many responsibilities.
I decided that habit tracking wasn't for me because
I kept failing.
I blamed the apps—they were too complicated, too rigid, too punishing when I missed a day.
And I hear women make excuses like this all the time.
But the actual reason I started tracking my habits wasn't about
becoming some perfect, optimized version of myself.
It was because I was tired of feeling like I was disappearing.
Like every day I was choosing everyone else—my kids, my work, the chores, my family— and there was nothing left for me.
And I wanted to find a way back to myself that didn't require me to be perfect.
1
Q: How is this different from Atomic Habits?
James Clear's Atomic Habits is excellent for understanding habit mechanics—I reference his work throughout this journal. Habit Capsules builds on it. It adds what's missing for women: accountability systems, progress tracking that accounts for hormonal cycles and family interruptions, and a cumulative model that doesn't punish you for being human. Think of it as taking Clear's principles and adapting them for lives that are beautifully complex and already full.
2
Q: How long does it really take to build a habit?
The "21-day myth" is scientifically false. Research by Dr. Phillippa Lally at University College London shows habits take an average of 66 days, with a range of 18-254 days depending on complexity. Knowing this changes everything. You're not failing at day 22—you're right on schedule. My own 200-day data confirms this: simple habits (drinking water) became automatic around day 6, while complex habits (waking at 6 AM) took closer to 90 days but you can see results as early as day 3.
3
Do I need to join a cohort or can I do this alone?
The Sunday Letter is free—no cohort required. You'll get my weekly experiments, frameworks, and observations you can apply independently. That said, accountability matters and it can significantly speed up habit formation along with joy that comes with it. Research shows accountability to another person increases goal achievement from 43 percent to 76 percent—nearly doubling your success rate.

If you are interested sign up here. Cohort sizes will be small - max at 15 women. I will announce upcoming accountability cohorts in my newsletter.
4
Q: Is this only for women?
The principles work for anyone. But my writing specifically addresses challenges women face that traditional habit advice ignores: - Hormonal cycles affecting motivation and energy - Guilt around self-prioritization - Managing competing family and work responsibilities - The mental load of invisible household management If those resonate with your experience regardless of gender, you're welcome here.