Stacy

“I’m not a morning person” people this one is for you. Even if you are already a morning person, keep reading because there are some good ideas that you could make your mornings even better.
This book has 3 levels of challenge to pick from. I’ll put more info in the comments section.

Easy Challenge: Wake up 15 minutes earlier than normal. How? Bribe yourself. Reward yourself with being able to hit the coffee shop before work or pick something that would motivate you. Tip: Make sure you have to get out of bed to turn off your alarm. Taking to first steps will get you moving.

Medium Challenge: Wake up 30 minutes earlier for a WEEK. This will give you a window of me time to do the thing(s) that you want to get done, but never seem to have the time. You can start the day knowing you did something for yourself today.

Hard Challenge: Wake up early for an entire MONTH. It can be the 30 minutes or more depending on how much you want to accomplish before the rest of the house gets up. The key to this is consistency and creating the habit.

Write down what you got accomplished during that extra time that would still be sitting in your to do list if you hit the snooze. You will be amazed at how quickly your body adjusts.

Remember your body still needs 7-8 hours of sleep which means you may need to adjust your bedtime. If you feel like you can’t fall asleep earlier, try turning off electronics earlier, stretching, reading a book, or listening to a sleep meditation.

Last challenge of the year. If you’re like me these last couple days of the year I reflect on how my year went. Did I achieve the goals I set, did I do the things I planned to do, was I intentional with my actions,…? If the year didn’t go the way you expected or maybe it did, you are EXACTLY where you are supposed to be in your life. Trust that you are meant for and capable of greatness. Trust that if you aren’t where you want to be right now, something wonderful is about to happen.
We attract what we put out there in the world. You GET to DECIDE how you show up in the world. You decide your actions and reactions to the world around you. You are in control of you.
Take time to think about the amazing things that happened this past year. Don’t dwell on the things that didn’t. Look forward to next year and decide what goals you want to work on & make a plan. Remember a goal without a plan is just a wish.

When I first read this chapter, I was like “I don’t do that..”. Then I read the chapter and wow…. You may think the same thing, but let me ask you: when you are stressed, upset, frustrated, angry, lonely, or sad, do you pour yourself a drink to feel better? Do you binge eat? Do you binge tv? Do you look for distractions with your spouse? Or even sleep, gossip, procrastinate? I know…that hit you hard too, right? Society has taught us that we should be happy. How many times have you told someone to not feel bad or don’t cry or even it could be worse? It’s because we are uncomfortable with those feelings.
Here is your challenge: for the next 3 days when you start feeling ”those” feelings and start to reach for the thing that ”will make us feel better” stop and think about what you are actually feeling and why is it making you uncomfortable. It’s okay to feel that way.

For some people this is the happiest time of the year. For others it may not be as happy with the memory of one’s that have passed or the millions things we need to do that stress us out.
This week’s challenge is letting it go. Giving that stress, anxiety, sorrow to God. God has some big shoulders we can cry on. It is amazing how much your spirit is lifted after taking at least some of that load you are carrying and handing it over to Him. Take a few minutes everyday just to have a conversation with Him. Tell him about all things swirling around your head.
God strengthens us to be our best selves

Who HATES exercise? We know our bodies are meant to move, but we don’t have time or exercise feels like punishment.
This week I challenge you to be intentional about moving your body. Park farther away from the store, have your own dance party while you are getting ready for the day, do something that is fun to do.
When you find movement you enjoy it doesn’t feel like punishment. You look forward to it because it brings you joy. For example, don’t start running when you hate running. I will guarantee you won’t stick with it. Challenge yourself to try a bunch of different things to see what sticks.
For me, I absolutely LOVE my beachbody workouts. Every morning I get up looking forward to hitting that play button in my home. I don’t have to drive somewhere or wonder if someone is staring as my fat jiggle. It’s just me and my personal trainer for that workout. I don’t have to think about what exercises to do because I just follow the calendar. To be honest: do I love every workout…no…but I know tomorrow’s workout will be different and I know that movement I am doing is making me stronger. Not just physically but mentally pushing me to do moves I never thought I would even try.

This week we are using the “f word!”
Failure is something that we all avoid because (insert a million reasons here….). I challenge you this week to turn that mindset around. I want you to FAIL FORWARD. Failing forward means taking those chances that make you have butterflies in your stomach and learning something from the experience.
As long as you are learning and growing there IS NO FAILURE! (Boom… drop).
Don’t be one of those people at the end of your life saying, “I wish I would have….” Get over that fear that is holding you back and go for it.

With the holiday season here, this week’s challenge is perfect timing. We are all striving for this perfect balance in life where everything is perfect and we aren’t stressed out. I can tell you that doesn’t exist BUT I can also tell you there is YOUR perfect life balance out there. Yes, you read that right. YOUR life balance.

Think about it… Why do you get stressed? Is it because you have overcommitted yourself or your kids? Do those things you committed to align with your values? Are they making you a better person or making you a stressed out mess? Are you doing them because that’s “what you are supposed to do” or because “the other moms are doing it?” Comparing yourself to others is the killer of joy.

This week (heck this whole holiday season) I want to challenge you to go back to where you wrote down your values. Think about your commitments and check yourself. It’s OK to say NO. It’s OK to say YES if it is truly something that aligns with your values and brings you joy.

Your kids won’t remember the perfect holiday decoration or event or even a messy house (as long as it doesn’t get out of hand ) They will remember how you act around them. They will remember you taking the time to be present and have conversations or playing with them. They will remember the tone of your voice. They will remember if you are positive and upbeat or complaining all the time. Those are the things that matter. Putting those things first you will find your perfect life balance.

Give yourself grace everyday and love the life you have.

This week may be challenging for you. It’s all about letting go of the past grudges against others and (mic drop here) yourself. Forgiveness is so easy to talk about, but sometimes crazy hard to do.
We carry this weight on a shoulders that does nothing but bring us down. Those people that hurt you may not even know they did or worse may not even care. The mistake you made years ago does not define who you can be today. You can’t go back and change the past BUT you can control your present and future actions & emotions. You control how you want to show up each and everyday. You can let others bring you down, but all you are doing is giving them control of your life.
Next Steps:
1. Write a completely honest letter to that person or persons that hurt you. Tell them how you feel and the impact it has had on your life.
2. Now get out of that victim mentality and crumble into a ball or rip that paper to shreds. Throw it in the trash and start to take back control of your life.
3. Each and every single morning write down your intentions for the day. How are you going to show up today for your family, friends, work? Who needs you on your A game today? What might trip you up today and how will you handle it

The older we get the harder it is to make and especially keep friends. Life changes with kids, jobs, moving to new area, interests, etc…. happen. It’s part of life and how we grow as a person.
This week I challenge you to do 2 things:
1. Assess who are the 5 people you surround yourself with most. Do they help you be a better person? Do they make you happy? Do they bring you down? If they are the first two keep them and hold on tight. If they bring you down or just not the person you want to become or be, you need to really think about that relationship and if it’s worth it.
2. Those friends that are bringing you joy and making you better. This week be intentional with those people. Call them, do something together. Life goes by quick and you have to be intentional with maintaining those friendships.

Don’t wait for your tribe to come to you. You may be waiting around forever. Be proactive in your efforts to create your tribe.

This week I challenge you to start a new daily habit of writing down what you are grateful for. No matter how bad your day was, there will always be at least 1 thing you can be grateful for.
Step 1: Pick a time each day for it. For example: before you get out of bed, drinking your 1st coffee, drive to/from work or errands, before you go to bed. Whatever works for you to be consistent.
Step 2: Get out a piece of paper or open the notes feature on your phone.
Step 3: Reflect on your life/day and write down at least 3 things you are grateful for.

Bonus ideas:
 leave a note for someone to tell them how much they mean to you or for something they did that you appreciate
 look someone in the eyes when thanking them at the restaurant/store
 Smile at everyone. It’s amazing how that smile could change someone’s day