7 challenges for myself

My comfort zone involves a blanket, a cup of tea, and a book. Fortunately for me, this is the kind of environment I need in order to recharge. I can spend time this way, without guilt, because I know that I’m giving myself what I need.  But because its so enjoyable, I often spend more time this way than I should.

If I always stayed in my comfort zone I’d never grow as a person. In order to motivate myself to achieve my goals, I have to give myself challenges. I thought I’d share a few of these challenges with you.

1. I’m challenging myself to push my body to its limits. I want to get stronger and grow in confidence. The endorphins are just a bonus 🙂 I’m going to start training for a Spartan race this summer. I’m focusing on building strength. I’m going to start running again. I’ll even throw in some crossfit workouts too, something I never thought I’d do again.

2. I’m challenging myself to eat better. To cut out all processed foods and refined sugars. To make sure I’m getting the right balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. To consume enough calories not only for maintenance, but for building muscle. And I need to drink more water. I’m going to carry a water bottle around with me, so drinking water will be easier to remember.

3. I’m challenging myself to find the balance between social activity and alone time. To decide how many engagements a week/month I am going to agree to, and to say no to everything else. To go out with friends and enjoy it to the full. And to give myself the time I need to recuperate without feeling guilty.

4. I’m challenging myself to spend more time outside. I love being in nature, it gives me such peace and contentment. I went on a long walk this past Sunday through a beautiful ravine. I spent the whole time absorbed in the beauty around me, the smells of the leaves and the gorgeous colours of the trees. I took some pictures and will likely post them up soon.

5. I’m challenging myself to embrace minimalism. To go through the items in my home and get rid of the things I haven’t used for a long time, or the things that I don’t really like. I’ve already done this with my closet and its given me so much peace of mind. Purging things isn’t an easy task, but its so satisfying, and I really want to get rid of the clutter.

6. I’m challenging myself to post more often on my blog. I still have a lot of summer pictures I want to share, and some ones from autumn as well. There’s a lot of topics I’d like to write about. I’d like to post something (other than quotes) twice a week, starting next month.

7. I’m challenging myself to do things I don’t enjoy. Things like squats and burpees. Like eating things that don’t necessarily taste good but are good for me. To go up to strangers at an event and introduce myself. To finally do things I’ve always wanted to do, but never had the courage. To sometimes say yes to things that intimidate me.

So there are some my challenges. I’m going to follow up at the end of each month, assess my progress, and adjust if necessary.

What are some of your goals/challenges?

Image credit: “Thank you all for supporting me” by Almond Butterscotch is licensed under CC by 2.0