We are just over two weeks into the 100 Day Challenge and I think I need a course correction!  The challenge I set out for myself was to write everyday for a minimum of 10 minutes.  The writing had to be non work related writing because I spend so much of my time writing for my website, newsletter, blog, clients, etc. 

I didn’t realize how hard this was going to be for me and I am finding that the writing gets left until the end of my day which is when I am tired, uninspired and wanting to go to bed.  Hhmm, not as much fun as I anticipated!  Time for an adjustment.

This is an important point about the 100 Day Challenge…just because you started out with a great idea and a plan doesn’t mean that you can’t adjust the idea and the plan as you go along.  This is true about so many parts of our lives (not just the 100 Day Challenge).  Sometimes we will set a goal or get an idea in our mind that things have to be exactly the way we first set them out to be and when it doesn’t seem to be working out the way we thought, we will abandon the idea or give up on the goal.  While giving up may relieve some of the initial pressure, we will often end up feeling bad or disappointed that we didn’t achieve our goal. 

When my clients reach this giving up stage, it gives us the opportunity to rekindle the original desire for the goal and then make some adjustments (or course correct) so that they can move forward with a more manageable goal or plan. 

As for me, I am going to change my challenge slightly by adjusting the kind of writing from non work related to having 2 -3 days out of the week being work related writing and the rest of the week will be for the stories, poems, etc that I have been playing with.  This way, I can use the days of the week where I have more space in my schedule for the non work writing which will make it less of an obligation and put the joy back in my challenge. 

How about you?  What do you do when your goals prove to be a bit too challenging?  Have you had to make any adjustments to your 100 Day Challenge yet?  Feel free to share your experiences here so that we can all learn together!

Joyfully,

Deb

It has become a tradition at Get It Dunn that every February marks the start of the 100 Day Challenge.  It’s a free program that is offered for the clients, newsletter subscribers, Facebook fans and Twitter followers of Get It Dunn.  Participants are encouraged to choose an activity that will improve their life in some way, either by adding something new or letting go of something that doesn’t serve them well anymore.  The challenge is to do that activity every day for 100 Days…in a row….no breaks…no weekends off….every single day!  This can sound intimidating and it’s supposed to – it’s a challenge!  It takes dedication, commitment and a strong desire to change your life and the 100 Day Challenge provides the environment for learning how to make a change in small, manageable steps.  When participants look back at the end of the challenge, they can not only see what they have accomplished but they are also amazed to reflect on what they have learned about themselves. 

Over the last four years Challengers have written e-books and books, improved their health, increased their upper body strength, cut sugar out of their diet, added fruit to their diet, walked for miles, trained for marathons, cleared clutter out of their home, developed a new hobby, created works of art, rid their lives and homes of tolerations, created a culture of gratitude, got more rest and cultivated a meditation practice – to mention a few!  We usually end the challenge with less participants than we start with and I know that regardless of how long people last in the challenge, they always find it a valuable experience. 

Just before we kicked off the 100 Day Challenge, I was meeting with my mastermind group and I was challenging the members to participate.  One of the participants was hesitant not because she didn’t think she could do it but because doing one activity for 100 Days would cause her to lose interest.  She is a person who loves variety and has a gift for taking things from concept to implementation very quickly.  So, we devised a way for her to participate in the structure of the challenge but still in a way that aligned with her authenticity.  She has decided to do a number of time sensitive projects – 72 hour challenges – within the 100 Day Challenge all of which will lead to the accomplishment of a larger goal in her business.  Another mastermind colleague has decided to join us and has made the public declaration on her blog (http://marketingsoapbox.com/) so that she will be even more accountable for doing her challenge every day.  Check out her blog as she mentions a few other ways to structure your challenge that may be of interest to you. 

However you choose to participate, I welcome you to the challenge with open arms (or open blog..!) and hope that you will enjoy being a part of this awesome community of people who like to play bigger!  It’s not too late to join the challenge and if you want to be included in the reminder/support emails, head over to my sign up page  (http://www.getitdunn.ca/2012/02/06/100-day-challenge/) and you’ll be added to the list.  Just one of the ways that you can be sure to get through the challenge with more joy! 

Any questions or comments?  Leave them here and remember to check back often to read about how we are doing throughout the challenge!

Joyfully,

Deb

“Would you like some help out with your groceries today?”

This was the question that I was waiting for as I paid for my groceries. I was recovering from major surgery and had just started getting slowly back into my usual routines. I was under strict instructions to keep the walking to a minimum and definitely no heavy lifting. So, for the first time in my life, I needed help with getting my groceries into my car and today I planned to say “yes” when the clerk asked.  She didn’t ask.  Guess what I did next?  I pushed my cart out of the store and then proceeded to unpack the grocery bags, one item at a time, until the bag was light enough for me to lift. Then, I repacked the bags that were now in my car, one item at a time.

I’m not proud of this story but I am sharing it to make a point. The point is, it’s time for us to start asking for help. Most of us don’t ask for help – heck, most of us don’t even accept help when it’s offered. But not asking for or not accepting help is making life much harder than it needs to be (if life needs to be hard at all).  

I know, I know…I can hear you already….”but Deb, if I ask for help, I’ll look weak…I’ll lose my independence…it makes me vulnerable…then I’ll be indebted to them and what if I can’t pay them back…what if they say no….it’s faster if I do it myself…”  I have heard every excuse in the book about why you can’t/shouldn’t/won’t ask for help and here is what I have to say about each one:

“It takes a strong person to know when they need help and to ask for it.  We are not meant to be independent but rather interdependent – why do you think there are other people on the planet?? With all of these people on the planet, we need some way to connect and build relationships and we can’t build any deep or satisfying relationships without being vulnerable. People don’t help others just to get something in return, they help because it makes them feel good and lets them use their skills and strengths.  Wouldn’t you like to help others feel good? It’s pretty rare that someone would say no to helping you – don’t you usually help others when you are asked?  If they do say no, it’s not because you are a bad, weak or needy person, it’s because they just aren’t able to help.  In the long run most things take longer to do by yourself and require more energy so getting help will give you more time and energy that you can use to do something fun!”

I have more responses for anyone who feels uncomfortable asking for help but the main reason that most people don’t ask for help has to do with self worth and deserving. You are worthy and deserving of having an inspiring and joyful life and if you still think you have a good reason that you can’t ask for help, leave your below and I’ll help you see a different perspective!