One Year of Challenges - My Idea of a Resolution

I’m not really one to make new years resolutions, but this year I sort of am. My resolution is to make small changes toward a bigger goal. Every month I'll be trying something new or eliminating something from my life to help me reach my ultimate goal, which is to live a happier, healthier, fuller life.

Now I know that’s a broad resolution, but a year is a fairly long time. So I’m using this broad resolution to set the tone for monthly challenges that I’ll be giving myself. I did this for a while last year and really enjoyed limiting myself, learning new things, making new connections and reducing my environmental impact. That’s why I'll be taking on a different challenge for each month of 2019.

The challenges aren’t set in stone yet, but I know that for the month of January I’ll be doing 100 squats per day. Making this small step towards moving my body daily. Toward feeling my heart rate increase daily. Toward making healthy lifestyle decisions daily.

Full Disclosure – I’ve chosen this challenge first because I’ve done it before and I know I can do it. I know it’s an attainable goal.

I think it’s important to make attainable goals. That’s not to say that goals should be effortless or lofty, but they should be manageable. If I decide on challenges that are too time consuming or complicated for my lifestyle (as a business owner & mom of two & wife & yoga teacher) I won’t be able to complete them and I’ll feel as though I failed.

For me, goals are meant to inspire, uplift & encourage us to continue working on becoming the best versions of ourselves. 

So with this in mind, I will be doing 100 Squats a day in January. Even while on vacation in Mexico, I’ll be doing 100 squats each day. I plan to post about it on our Instagram stories from time to time and share some photos of the beautiful & not so beautiful places I’ll be getting my squats in. At the end of the month I will write about my experience and share my new challenge for the next month.

Want to join me for January? Or all of 2019? Perhaps we can share ideas on challenges or inspiration? I’d love to hear from you if you want to participate.

Some of my ideas are;

1. Take a cold shower... or at least the last 2 minutes of each shower
2. Give someone an honest compliment
3. No disposable coffee cups, straws, cutlery or bottles 
4. Make eye contact & say hello to strangers
5. Meditate every morning
6. Go for a walk every day

I found this cute image online with some great ideas for monthly challenges from 30daychallengesonline.com. I won't do them all, but I definitely like a few of them. And I feel like we could double up on a few of these each month, right? Perhaps in February I'll meditate daily and save $2 per day for my favourite charity.

Let me know your thoughts. Are you game to challenge yourself with small, attainable goals in 2019? I am! And I'm excited to watch myself grow with each new month.

Lots of love & luck for 2019,
Shelley xo