Ready for a Challenge!

I am ready to face some self imposed challenges. Ok they are going to look like resolutions, but I hate that word! To me it seems as if you are setting yourself up for failure. Who wants that??? Not me.

So many were talking about resolutions to make changes to ones person, look or way of life over the last week. I think for some it works , but for me I like a challenge. Challenges fire me up. Hold me accountable to self and others, especially when I put it out in the public eye and tell my family and tell then to give me a tough time if I slip up...within reason of course. 

I know it is simply a trading of words, but each person has to follow their own path. So what are mine that I wish to achieve in 2011? Some are carry overs, continuations of ones I started in 2010. Like I want to continue to take care of my body, with diet and exercise. I need to cut further back on sugar , tone up the jiggly parts best I can and make sure to walk every chance I get, maybe extend the distance, or add more hills, mix it up some. Of course I need to up my fruits and vegies and get back up to those 25 grams of fiber each day.

The next Challenge is a beauty one of sorts.I would like to remember and take effort to wear mascara again, even if just walking. Wear earrings, daily, and here is a biggy, get dressed even on days when I do not feel like it....of course it would be into something comfy, just not a bath robe. I am also giving myself another challenge and that is to NOT cut my hair ( well other than tiny "dusting" trims).

I get this weird OCD thing , a perfectionist thing with my hair. I know if  therapist got a hold of me it probably reaches pretty deep into something in my past. I do not know the "root" of the problem , but it is there. The only way that I was able to grow it out before was starting slow, trimming just over the ears (till it is one length then let it grow slightly over), my bangs and the lower half of the head. I got it to a short bob, all one length, (well close enough, it was textured so the last layer added movement.),    and then this cute little shape... and then let it go till it reached my shoulders. It helped that I had a bet with my daughter once it reached the first point of all one length to my ears that I would not touch it for a year ...she won, I only made it about 10 months. Then the scissor happy me came out and I just could not seem to stop and now I am back to a VERY short pixie.Cute, easy to style and can wear it flat or a bit poofy like in this pic. Coloring is a breeze!  

But I think I might like to go back to this, I regret getting a trim which altered this cut cause I really liked it. But in the middle of the summer when I had it the front kept flipping like birds wings...we will have to figure out how to handle that. I could always go with this...So many choices, I have photos of myself at all lengths...including down to the middle of my back, but that took 5 years! But I am loving being a red head again...never know when that will change, as I equally loved black hair, but it is harsh on women as they age...not that I am not fighting that! LOL

The final and hardest challenge I am giving myself is to find happiness. True Happiness, no matter what the current life situation is. I want to be able to flip the switch on a bad day and turn the frowns upside down and be positive, think positive. I want to be grateful for all things in my life, good and bad and all the in between. I want to grow my faith, but on MY terms, not anyone elses. I want to learn how to breathe, relax, let go and most of all BELIEVE!!! My word of the year.

So of course I have to have proper tools. For me it is books, following positive blogs, people on Twitter as well as Face Book and receiving newsletters as well that nearly cram positivity down my throat. So one that combines ALL these is Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project. I mentioned it in yesterdays blog. CLICK HERE for her blog, You Tube, and all other ways to find her on the web and to buy the book, even email her or start her new 2011 challenge. Gretchen is great!! She has answered back many of emails and has OK'd for me to quote from her book!! So Um yeah, DUH will do that from time to time.

I had started reading her book last year. I got to May and well life happened and I quit. I gave up on happiness really. I was so stressed and well as mentioned depressed and did not wish to read about anything dealing with happiness. I also will admit some of the book did not even apply to me. I do not work outside of home. I do not have little kids, and the list went on. But I still think it is worthwhile in combo with all my other books I got going right now to start over and each month follow the books challenges ( though she says you can make your own monthly lists) and try to apply them best I can to my life, and of course I shall share.

SO, January. Boost Energy. Vitality. That is the heading at the top of the page. Here is the challenges she set up for herself. I like them, so I shall keep them.

*Go to sleep earlier.

*Exercise better

*Toss, restore, organize

*Act more energetic

My plan is to write these down , tackle one a week, and then blog about it at the end of each week before I start the next one. I will chat about how I did it, or if I did not. How I applied it, or tweaked it to fit my life. And of course if I find any quotes I can use , share those as well. One never knows what will inspire.

There you have it. My own personal challenges. I shall try to update you as often as I can on how I am progressing. So stay tuned! Till then stay happy!!!