If you’re a regular to my blog you might remember THIS post, when I introduced Matt Cutt’s 30 Day Challenge to you.
Well, today I thought I’d give you an update because I decided to do it; I decided to come up with one thing I’ve always talked about doing, but never have.
And to do it for 30 consecutive days.
Actually, I could have chosen quite a few things for my first 30 Day Challenge but sometimes the universe has a way of grabbing our attention and telling us what we need to pay attention to, and for me, it was my physical body.
I didn’t mention it here but a few weeks after our move, I tweaked my back again.
In the days that followed I felt terribly discouraged. It wasn’t only because of the pain, but because I had been promising myself for years that I would begin yoga as a way of strengthening my spine and my core strength.
And somehow, even though I had considered it a priority, I hadn’t done it.
I really wanted to do it. I always planned on doing it. But somehow my well-intentioned yoga always got put on the back burner while other ‘less important’ things got scratched off my lists.
Can you relate to this?
Because here’s what I did. After listening to Matt Cutt’s upbeat talk I decided to embark on my own 30 Day Yoga Challenge. Yep, in the midst of all this crazy house-hunting and with most of my belongings in boxes, I found a hot Yoga Studio in the neighborhood with some amazing instructors and I signed up.
And the first day I was so nervous. My back felt old and stiff and when I looked around the class it was obvious I was the absolute worst one in the entire place. And even though I’d been warned about the heat, my body still felt shocked.
Day Two was better.
But on Day Three I left the studio so discouraged I felt like crying. I sat in my car and thought,
“What happened to my young, gymnastic body? I used to do back walks on the grass for fun!”
And instead of feeling positive about my new challenge, I actually felt sad about my loss of flexibility and sore enough to wonder if my body could take 27 more days of these yoga classes.
But here I am.
On Day 17 of my 30 Day Yoga Challenge. And how is it going? Well here’s my simple answer: one day at a time.
If you’re thinking about joining me on your own 30 Day Challenge I have to clarify something.
This is not a beauty post. This is not about having tighter abs and looking thinner in 30 days. Although if that’s your goal, fine. But before you choose your challenge, I would encourage you to open your mind and consider pushing yourself into new territory.
Because asking yourself, “What is something I’ve always wanted to try?” is another way of asking, “What kind of person do I want to become?”
And it’s a chance to reflect on the kind of skills and qualities and talents that you’ve always admired in others and to ask yourself,
“What’s stopping me from being that kind of person?” Starting right now.
The first step is introducing one little change into your life today. And taking it one day at a time.
“When you see someone who has a lot of knowledge, they learned it over time. When you see someone who has a lot of skills, they developed them over time. When you see someone who has done a lot, they accomplished it over time. When you see someone who has a lot of money, they earned it over time.
The key is over time.
Success is built sequentially. It’s one thing at a time.”
--The One Thing, by Keller & Papasan
According to Cutts, who completes 30 day challenges regularly, we have a better chance of transforming ourselves with “small, sustainable challenges” because these are the kind that are most likely to stick.
After finishing my 16th day of yoga I’ve noticed something totally unexpected; as each day passes it’s actually getting easier to fit yoga into my day. Midway through I’ve stopped the internal debate, wondering if I’ll really go. And I just do it. But it requires planning ahead, slowing down and having alternate plans in case I can’t make it to a class.
And while it’s true that my body is changing for the better, so is my spirit.
Matt Cutts says that success breeds confidence. And he’s right.
It’s those days when I didn’t feel like going to yoga and still did, that have impacted my confidence the most. These are the times when I walk out of class—sweaty and tired---but feeling in touch with an inner strength.
Make no mistake, sharing this with the world makes me feel shaky. I realize I’m only half way there but it’s my hope that by being open about my challenge, it might inspire you to identify something in your life you’ve always wanted to do.
And just do it.
I’d love to hear about your decision.
And if you need a few uplifting words along the way, email me and I’d be happy to support you.
A special thank you to my friend Vanessa for recommending this book after I tweaked my back. It’s absolutely fascinating, quite short and it includes five ancient Tibetan exercises which are considered by many to be life-changing.
If you haven’t met Vanessa please go right over and become a follower. Besides being a kind, supportive friend, she’s got a blog brimming with beauty and style and she always has something interesting to say.
And me? I’m so grateful for your visit today. If you liked this post you can become a follower too. So we can continue this conversation.
Tell me what you think.
xo
Leslie
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