30 Days to a Better You

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30 days…really? That’s it?

It may seem too good to be true. Well, it is AND it isn’t. 30 days is a doable timeframe, and when you put together six months or even a year of 30 day increments it’s amazing what can be accomplished. You’ll be amazed at who or what you can become!

Let’s face it, we all have lofty goals. Goals that seem insurmountable. Goals that we start and then quickly become overwhelmed. Goals that we have dreamt about but never ever imagined we would actually accomplish. Goals that just seem too hard or too time-consuming.

The key is to dissect these huge goals into smaller, more easily obtainable goals that build on each other and ultimately lead to a better life.

Focusing on one small piece of the puzzle for an entire 30 days will create a habit. Once the first healthy habit is created, another 30-day habit can begin. This is the “too good to be true part”. You aren’t ACTUALLY done in 30 days. But what you have done is the hard part, you’ve created the habit and can now move on to the next little goal.

I remember when I was in High School and my mother would sew my formal dresses for the dances. I would have the vision of the dress in my head and get so frustrated when at the first, second, and even third fittings the dress didn’t measure up. Eventually it did, but it took time and patience on my part (and definitely on my mother’s). Each seam needed to be sewn properly, each dart taken in just right, every edge hemmed accurately before it was the perfect dress.

More times than not in life we are the same. We want the final product all at once. The problem with this is we bite off more than we can chew, and then we get frustrated or overwhelmed or even just tired and give up. We think it’s too hard or maybe even impossible. So instead of sticking the entire pancake in our mouths at once (like my 3-year-old) why don’t we break things up into smaller pieces and see where it takes us. (I guarantee it will be easy to chew, which is what I tell said child daily).

Why now?

Last year, my family and I went through a period of severe stress. Within a matter of months my son was diagnosed with cancer, my second son was born, we moved to another city (selling 2 properties and buying one), both my husband and I started new jobs, and I became a mostly stay at home mom working just a few days a month at my new job. Let’s just say, it wasn’t easy.

I went into survival mode, and a year later I’m still there. Every day has become about just making it through to the next.

The thing is, I know I’m not the only one!

I’m not the only mother who struggles to get out of bed in the morning. I’m not the only mother out there that feels trapped in the mundane. I’m not the only mother who wishes she had more energy and patience for her children. I’m not the only mother who feels overwhelmed with life.

So what’s my solution?

Just 30 DAYS!

Set just one goal. It can be as little as you want it to be. Simply pick one thing that you want to change in your life. The key here is the number 1.

If your goal is to be healthier, dissect that goal into lots and lots of little ones. What things do you need to do to ACTUALLY be healthier? Maybe drink more water, maybe exercise regularly, perhaps you need to get more sleep. Is your goal to be more organized? Maybe you need to start with getting up earlier, making your bed everyday, spending 10 minutes every night decluttering the house.

My ultimate goal is to become a better me. A better mother, a better wife, and overall a better person. But that’s a pretty huge goal and not to mention a gigantically broad one. So I’ve split it up and you can join me. Each of these 30-day goals will lead to be a better, healthier, more energetic me. My plan is to choose one goal to work on each month for 1 year. Then I’ll see where I’m at and either keep going or set a new overarching goal.

Here’s the breakdown: (The order may change as I go along…I’ll keep you updated on the changes)

30 days of exercise
30 days of meal planning
30 days of making the bed
30 days of drinking water
30 days of adequate sleep
30 days of getting up early
30 days of gratitude
30 days of getting outside
30 days of being present (less social media and devices)
30 days of increased spirituality
30 days of no caffeine
30 days of kindness

I’m fully aware that some days will be better than others. Some days I may downright fail miserably, but one, two, or even 29 failures doesn’t give me permission to quit. So let’s get started.

I’m beginning this quest with 30 days of exercise. Along the way I’ll let you know why these specific topics are important for overall health and for a well-balanced life. I’ll also keep you apprised of how I’ve done with each 30 day challenge, what I learned, and what I did to succeed.

If you have the desire to start exercising but constantly find one excuse or another, or obstacles in your way, check out my post on the Top 3 Obstacles to Working Out as a Stay at Home Mom (or any mom for that matter).

Rachel B.