Are you ready to celebrate?  On Friday February 5th I started on a 100 day challenge with the goal of doing sit ups and push ups alternating days and going to bed between 10:00 and 10:30 6 out of 7 nights a week.  Today, Saturday May 15th, I have done more than 1000 sit ups, almost 1000 push ups and my body has shifted into a more natural rhythm of sleeping and waking.  In fact, I rarely need the alarm in the morning as I have been waking up before my alarm most days.  Have I done the challenge perfectly? Nope.  Have I had to recommit daily? Yes. There have been days that I forgot, days that I didnt’t make it to bed on time, days when I tried to rationalize that 10:38 was close enough to count it and there have been days that have gone according to plan. 

Now, I am celebrating.  I am celebrating that I started, I am celebrating that I restarted, I am celebrating that I did the best that I could and I am celebrating that I have learned more about myself and grown as a result.  Will you celebrate with me?

So many times when I suggest to my clients that they need to celebrate their progress, they protest. They tell me that they didn’t do it perfectly, or that they didn’t do everything that they wanted to do, or that they haven’t reached the final goal yet and so they can’t celebrate.  What eventually ends up happening is that nothing ever gets celebrated.  When we don’t acknowledge our efforts, when we simply move on to the next challenge or project our spirit gets tired.  When our spirit gets tired, we get tired and soon, if we’re not careful, we get stuck.  So please acknowledge yourself and what you have accomplished.  If you are reading this and weren’t a part of the 100 Day Challenge, find something that you have done recently and celebrate that.  Have some cake, go for a walk, hug a family member, throw a party…do something to tell your spirit that you are taking a short break and basking in your accomplishments.  It will do you and your heart a world of good.  I’d love to hear how you are celebrating…post your celebration comments here!  Now, I’m going for cake!

Joyfully,

Deb

The other day, the shift button on my computer keyboard was giving me trouble.  Instead of being able to easily press it to make my capital letters I had to apply heavy pressure get it to work.  I type quite quickly but this malfunction was slowing me down and starting to annoy me.  The thought crossed my mind that it was requiring a lot of effort and focus to use the shift button.  Instantly, I laughed!  It takes a lot of effort and focus to shift!  How’s that for reminder?!

Let’s face it.  It’s not always easy to make changes in your life.  Shifting a belief or a habit requires effort and focus AND perseverance.  That’s why I like the 100 Day Challenge.  You pick some activity or habit to focus on, you put in effort everyday and you do this for 100 days in a row.  As the Challenge draws to a close on Saturday of this week, it will be time to evaluate if anything has shifted.  Did you put in the effort and the focus required to make the shift? 

Joyfully,

Deb

P.S.  My shift button started working again the next day, with no help from me.  Hhmm…the ways of the Universe are mysterious indeed!!

P.P.S.  Stats update:  to date I have done 1297 sit-ups, 923 push-ups and gone to bed at the appointed time 63 out of 82 nights! 

Back in March I attended a Jesse Cook concert with some friends.  I have never seen Jesse Cook in concert before and for those who don’t know who this is, he is a very talented guitarist focusing on flamenco, rumba and latin music.  Wow, can that man play a guitar!  I have never seen someone’s fingers and hands move so fast and with such precision!  At one point in the concert, he answered questions from the audience and someone asked him when he learned to play the guitar.  He said he started taking lessons at the age of six.  No wonder he is so good at what he does! 

I realized it was another example of how much time it takes to master something.  Even though he makes it look easy and he is inspiring to watch, he has definitely put in his time.  And he hasn’t stopped.  He continues to learn more about the music of other cultures so that he can weave it in with what he already knows.  One of the true marks of a master - someone who is already masterful yet continues to learn about and expand their craft.

It’s a good reminder for me as I lament my lack of washboard abs after 83 days of sit ups and push ups.  Apparently 5 minutes a day is not going to yield the immediate results I was hoping for!!  Despite the lack of a visible six pack, I am noticing that my posture is better.  I have also noticed how much I have been using other parts of my body to hold myself up because my core muscles have been so weak and underused.  It is going to take more than 100 days to fully retrain myself but this has been a magnificent start!  If I had started doing sit ups when I was six years old like Jesse started taking guitar lessons I might be a master at it by now too!  So take heart…even if you haven’t accomplished exactly what you wanted to in your 100 Day Challenge or in life in general, remember that little bits everyday will eventually pay off! 

Joyfully,

 Deb

Recently, I was driving to my office.  I had a bad cold and I was feeling quite sorry for myself - quite whiny actually and I would rather have stayed at home in bed.  But then a van changed lanes in front of me and changed my whole attitude.  It was the license plate that caught my attention.  BLISS.  There I was, staring at BLISS and all I had to do was follow it!  And follow it I did!  Verging on stalking actually!  Every time the van changed lanes, I changed lanes.  Weaving in and out of traffic I followed BLISS most of the way downtown.  Briefly another car came between me and my BLISS but I could still see it and was still able to follow it.  

Eventually BLISS took another route and I continued on my journey but now I was in a completely different frame of mind.  I was delighted and arrived at my office in a good mood which was not only a bonus for me but also for my clients!  This adventure reminds me that there are times when things aren’t so great and then there will be times to follow your bliss and then again there will be times when bliss takes another path and we are left to continue on our journey, hopefully a little better for having experienced some bliss - however brief.  

Have you had any moments of bliss during your 100 Day Challenge?  I’d love to hear about them!  

Joyfully, 

Deb 

It been a while since I reported my numbers but for anyone who is counting, here’s where I stand so far:

Sit-ups: 697 (haven’t missed a day!)
Push-ups: 427 (missed two days)
Bed before 10:30: 38 out of 45 nights (you do the math!!)

I might be missing a few here and there but everyday is a new day!

Joyfully,

Deb

Clients often come to me because there is something that isn’t working in their life.  What I often do after a brief conversation is ask them “What is working?”  It’s often a question that causes them to pause.  Most of us are not conditioned to think about what is working, we are more tuned into what isn’t working. 

I think this is a great question to ask yourself about the 100 Day Challenge as well.  I know some of you have been struggling and have been a bit disappointed that you haven’t been able to stay with it the way you would have liked so my questions for you are, “What is working, what have you done, what have you learned so far?”  Give yourself credit for what you have accomplished and get back in the game!  There is still lots of challenge left and anything that you do is going to be more than if you had never started in the first place.  Give yourself a cheer and a pat on the back and let me know how you are doing!

Joyfully,

Deb

We are half way!  Wow, I don’t know about you but that seemed to happen fast.  At first, the challenge seemed like it was crawling along and now, all of a sudden we are half way through.  So, it’s time for a celebration!  The half way celebration (doesn’t mean that you only celebrate half way) - a way to mark your progress and inspire you to keep going!  Congratulate yourself for all that you have done so far and renew your commitment to the second half of the challenge. 

Let me know how you are doing and how you are planning to celebrate the half way point!  I’m celebrating with a peanut buster parfait (made with cone dipped chocolate instead of hot fudge) from Dairy Queen - my favorite treat and favorite store! 

Joyfully,

Deb

I had a chance to go downhill skiing this weekend.  I haven’t had a chance all season so I was thrilled to be out for the day.  It was a beautiful day and the conditions were great.  The really cool thing was that I skied all day and didn’t need to stop for a break.  We stopped for lunch but that was because of being hungry, not tired.  I also noticed that even though I hadn’t skied all season, my body wasn’t sore the next day.  Hhmm, push ups and sit ups may be doing more than I think! 

When I started out with this challenge, I wasn’t able to do more than 3 push ups and now I’m up to 24.  It has been small steps every day and now I can see how those small steps are adding up.  I don’t have abs of steel (yet!) but I have also noticed that my ability to lift and carry things has increased.  What about you?  Are you noticing how small steps can add up? 

Joyfully,

Deb

Four weeks into the challenge and hopefully you are noticing some changes. Do you have more space, more energy, less clutter….the changes may be very noticeable or very subtle.  I have noticed a subtle change myself.  I seem to have more energy at the end of the day.  Not huge surges of energy, but feeling much less tired at the end of the day.  I think the extra sleep is starting to add up! 

Sticking with a challenge for 100 days can be…well…challenging, especially when you don’t see progress.  I encourage you to look for some of the subtle ways that this challenge is helping you and be sure to comment here.

Joyfully,

Deb

I have to admit that I am glad the Olympics are over!  They were creating havoc with my challenge.  The athleticism certainly has kept me inspired to do my push-ups and sit-ups but the going to bed thing was close to impossible.  One night, I took the laptop to bed so that I could watch Joannie Rochette skate her bronze winning program just so that I could technically say that I was in bed between 10:00 and 10:30!! (yes it’s true, I don’t have a tv in my bedroom) I’m not sure if this counts or not (because my intention with the challenge of going to bed was so that I would get more rest…) but I marked it down as if it did! 

This is what happens when you embark on changing a habit…things will always get in the way, obstacles will pop up and you will get distracted and fall into old habits again.  It wouldn’t be called a challenge if it was always easy!  What’s good about the obstacles and distractions is that you can use your creativity to get around them (ie: taking the laptop to bed).  The obstacles and distractions can also teach you interesting things about yourself and this gives you the option of taking a closer look at them - or not but either way, you have the chance to grow as  person.  Are you growing?!

Joyfully,

Deb