Weekly Challenge

Just because you could do it all doesn’t mean you should. That hit me hard. We want to be known as having it all together. We are strong and independent and we got this. Yes we got it, but at what cost? The cost of being stressed out, lack of sleep, burn out, grouchy, etc….

This week I challenge you to not only ask for help, but also accept the help someone offers you. I know this is a shocker..people can’t read your mind. They see you struggling and they want to help. You know that feeling when someone asks you for help and you get that feeling of joy and connection. Don’t deprive them of that feeling. Give them a specific task that would really help you out.

Here’s your challenge levels:

Easy: Ask for help on one thing this week. Maybe it’s asking your spouse to make dinner or do the dishes. Kids clean up their rooms or mow the grass. A coworker to help you problem solve something you are struggling with.

Medium: Accept an offer of help. When someone asks, how can I help? Give them a task they can help with.

Hard: We all have a list of things to do this week whether it is written down or in your head. At the beginning of the week think about what the people around you could help you with to make your week easier. Then go through the list with your spouse and kids to divide and conquer. Let them pick it. They will feel a sense of ownership and connection to helping in the family.

A little late, but it’s holiday weekend  and the perfect time for this challenge. This week is about actively listening when someone is talking. Actually hearing what they are saying instead of thinking of the next thing you are going to say, assuming you know what they will say, or playing on your phone while they are talking.
We are all guilty of doing this and we also know how it feels on the receiving end of it. So this week is about being intentional and connecting. Per scientific studies we only have about a 8 second attention span so being intentional and actually focusing is critical.

Which challenge are you taking on:
Easy: Stop thinking about what you will say next. Focus on what the person is saying.

Medium: Single task instead of multi task. Instead of being in a meeting taking notes, checking email, and thinking about dinner try to be in a meeting focused on what they are saying and jotting notes only to keep your focus. Writing notes triggers your brain to remember and it keeps you focused.

Hard: Use 2:1 ratio. You ever been in a conversation and the person just keeps talking and doesn’t let you get a word in? Don’t be that person…lol. Listen twice as much as you talk. If the person doesn’t know what to say ask questions and truly listen to their answers.

This challenge is about not treating your relationships like a sports game by keeping points of who does what. Whoever said relationships were 50-50 was WRONG. Relationships are 100-100. We will always fall short so we could never be 100 together with the 50-50 mindset. If you each even give 75 each, together you are still above that 100 mark working together and picking up where the other is dropping.

For those married couples, if you constantly need to win an argument. Think about if you win, they lose. Did you marry a loser?

Here are your challenges:

Easy: Clear the scorecard. It doesn’t matter if they don’t do some task because more than likely they do a task that we don’t. Each of us has our own skills and abilities. For example, I’m usually the one that does the laundry and Joe is the one that fixes the electronics in our house. He isn’t good at folding and I am not technical at all. Then there are things that we split like if he makes dinner then I’ll do the dishes or vice versa.

Medium: Stop using “never” and “always.” These words are so definitive and just begging to have an argument with that person. Your challenge is to be aware of your words. When you hear yourself say it, stop and rephrase it. Turn “you never clean the toilets!” to “ from my point of view, I am usually the one that has to clean the toilets. Would you mind doing it this week?” Which one to do think your partner will respond to better?

Hard: Stop trying to win. There is no “I” in “we.” You don’t get trophies in relationships. Focus more on giving than getting. You would be amazed at the difference in your relationship.

We made it through the 10 health challenges and moving on the relationship challenges. Buckle up cause here we go!!

This week is going to challenge you to think about what you say in your relationships. Are you telling the honest truth or maybe telling white lies to make someone feel better or make yourself look better, or telling huge big fat lies because you don’t want someone to know the truth?

True authentic friendships are built on the truth. Those white lies add up and you get your story mixed up only to have someone call you out. We all know at least one person who does that. People are smart and can see those lies even if you don’t realize it.

Here’s your 3 levels of challenge this week:

Easy: Recognize when you are starting to tell a lie (big or small.). What are the circumstances? Where does this impulse come from? Does this fib help or hurt your relationship? Take a moment to acknowledge these questions and then be as truthful as possible.

Medium: Think about your relationships. Who can you be completely honest and vulnerable with? Who are your “fake friends” that you constantly tell white lies back and forth to make yourselves or each other look/feel better? Start to nuture those authentic relationships and pull away from those toxic relationships.

Hard: Tell the truth even when it hurts. It hurts sometimes to tell the truth especially when you completely screwed up. You maybe want to tell them most of what you screwed up and leave out the really screwed up parts. Being completely honest will not only help get that stuff off your chest, but also not be caught in a lie in the future.

Self care is a total buzzword, but take time this week to really think about what it means to you. What fills you up and makes you happy. Most people say they don’t have time for self care. If you are running on empty you CANNOT pour your true potential into other people and activities you love. Each person is different when it comes to what self care means to them and it can even change with each season of our lives. This is what this week’s challenge is all about. Finding what self care serves you right now in this season of life and actually doing it.

Easy: Pause and think about what puts the calm in the storm, fills you up, and makes you ready to take on the day? It can be different things for different purposes. Write down the activity AND why it helps you.

Medium: Take that list you just made and pick one thing and do it this week. Pick the one that brings you the most joy.

Hard: Make a plan to do those things on your list on a regular basis. Write it in your calendar like a doctors appointment because it is just as important.

This week’s challenge is stopping the “fat talk!” That cycle of negative thoughts you tell yourself when you look in the mirror. Let’s challenge ourselves this week with compliments about our body and who we are inside.

Easy: Look in the mirror and give yourself a compliment. You can find something you love about yourself.

Medium: Tell someone else the compliment you just gave yourself. It may feel like bragging. If you feel uncomfortable, tell them that you are working on accepting yourself and want to say something nice out loud in front of someone.

Hard: Write a compliment on a small post it note and put in on your bathroom mirror. Do this everyday for a month. At the end of the month, take a picture and use it for your gratitude.

Knowing your family’s health history is important, but most of us do not have a clue. Your immediate family history includes your parents, grandparents, great grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles, niece/nephews, your kids. Taking the time (it’s worth the few awkward moments) to write it down, ask your family members, and then share it so your family has it too.

So here’s your challenge this week:
Easy: Write down everything you know of your family’s health history. This includes cancer (what type), high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, any major medical issue. When were they diagnosed and if they are on medication. If you don’t know, ask!

Medium: Do the easy challenge and take it one step further to reinforce the importance. Spend time with someone older than you. Learn from their life experiences and “should have” moments.

Hard: Do both above challenges, but now do the preventative care. See your doctor to get screened for those concerns in your family history. More than likely it will be nothing, but what about that chance you can find something early.

Who’s ready to brown bag it this week? This week is about packing your lunch instead of going out to eat. This will not only save you money, but you will probably eat a little healthier too!
Whether you don’t have the time to prepare it, don’t like leftovers, or just get bored with what you make, it’s time to rethink lunch. Prepare your lunch before you go to bed if you won’t have time in the morning. Make extras each night and put leftovers in a container that you can grab & go. Prep for the week on Sunday making salad jars (that last all week!) or your favorite recipe that you can divvy up into lunch containers. This will seriously save you $50+ a week. Go through your account and track how much you spent last week going out to eat. It will shock you!

Here’s your challenge this week:
Easy: Find a recipe or use your favorite recipe and make it for lunch.

Medium: Bring your lunch everyday for one week. Then reflect on why you don’t do it more often or what could you do next week to make it even better.

Hard: Use the 80/20 rule for life. 80% of the time bring your lunch & 20% go out to eat. For example, bring you lunch Mon- Thurs and then reward yourself on Friday.

Who is tired most of the time? We go through seasons in our life where sleep is out of our control (babies, toddlers), but most of us can control the amount of sleep we get. This challenge is for those that second group.

We are supposed to get at least 6-8 hours a night, but everyone is different. Finding your sweet spot is what this challenge is all about. You need to experiment to figure out what works for you.

Easy: Start getting ready for bed 15 minutes earlier.

Medium: Create a bedtime routine that works for you. What activities help you sleep better? How long does it take?

Hard: Turn off electronics and put your phone where you can’t reach it from bed. You can still use it for an alarm clock. You have to get out of bed to turn it off and then it will be harder to hit snooze.

This week is another “we know it, but do we do it” week challenge. How much water do you drink a day? We are to drink a minimum of 8 glasses (64 oz) a day. It doesn’t matter whether you have a fancy bottle or just a plain glass, although a fancy bottle does help the mindset.
I can’t think of 1 person that said they didn’t feel better by drinking water rather than that soda. It makes you feel full, clears your skin, lowers blood pressure and yes the downfall of multiple bathroom trips.
Honestly lately I have been drinking a can of soda during the day and I can tell the difference. My normally clear skin has blemishes, I find myself snacking with unhealthy foods, and just have no energy which makes me want to grab another caffeinated beverage.
So let’s challenge ourselves this week!

Easy: Drink an extra glass of water today

Medium: Swap out a caffeinated beverage for water. How many times can you switch it per day?

Hard: Drink a glass of water when you first wake up and right before you go to bed. This will start and end your day giving your body the fluids it needs to thrive.