Today is day 8 of the 30 day challenge.
Today’s tip:
We know that lots of unexpected things come across our paths - that’s the whole theory of natural chaos. Unforseen events sometimes just show up on our doorsteps.
When you look ahead though you often can see things on the horizon that will likely interrupt your new habit or at least make it a little more challenging. Take the time to look at your upcoming schedule to determine where things might interfere with your progress - things like extra family commitments, work deadlines, travel, or holidays.
Planning ahead for those interruptions before they arrive allows you to have a Plan B. Successful peole excel at Plan B. Perhaps you will decide now to use one of your escape hatches then. Or perhaps you can enlist extra help from your buddy to keep on track. Or knowing that your commitments increase for a few days, you’ll decide to scale back your habit a bit - get in 20 minutes of exercise rather than 30.
Having a plan in place ahead of time lets you keep the momentum going. If you wait until you are up tp your eyeballs in interruptions, it’s harder to stay the course.
Tune in tomorrow for a tip on managing univited chaos.
What’s your Plan B?
This is day 7 of the 30 day challenge.
Things have gotten a little quieter in the comments section in the past couple of days. Post one and share your successes, stumbles, and wisdom. We’re all in this together! If you post a comment, I will reply under that post.
Today’s tip:
When you were a kid I bet your mother told you to always have a buddy when you went into the water for a swim. It’s way more fun to have someone to play with and if you get into trouble, your buddy is there to lend a hand.
The same wisdom is true as you are creating a new habit. Having someone to share the journey certainly makes it more enjoyable. And when you get stuck, your buddy is there to encourage you and help hold you accountable to your commitment.
Get an exercise partner. Hook up with a walking companion - even the four footed kind! Find someone you can email about your progress with your new eating, relaxation or organization habit.
The best buddies are ones that agree to the job. Be sure to ask if they are willing to come along for the ride. If they say no, remember that when the going gets tough, they likely won’t be your best support anyway. So ask someone else.
The buddy system is a great strategy to stay out of hot water and have things go swimmingly. 
Tune in tomorrow to find out why planning ahead keeps you ahead.
What’s your wisdom so far?
Today is day 4 of the 30 day challenge.
Out of sight out of mind.
We write things down that we want to remember. Whether its your grocery list or an important phone number or appointments on a calendar, we write things down so we won’t forget. With your new habit, it’s not so much that you might forget about it. It’s more that you might become distracted from it.
Making a written commitment, rather than just keeping it in your mind, is a great strategy to both hold your focus and make a written declaration of your priority. Partnered with your meaningful motive, your have a strong anchor to help keep you on track.
At the bottom of your calendar there is a space for writing your new habit. Look at what you have written there. Is it a strong statement of your commitment? If not, write it again using more powerful language such as “I am commited to ….” Then add your meaningful motive.
Think of your written commitment as your contract with yourself. You are probably very good at honouring your commitments to others. Take the next 26 days and honour your commitment to you.
Tune in tomorrow to find out why timing is everything.
How’s your challenge going?
The 30 day challenge begins tomorrow!
Remember the question I asked yesterday?
What one habit, if you added it consistently into your life, would make a difference in your happiness or health?
That’s the first key step in the 30 day challenge.
Choose ONE habit - not several - to focus your enegy on during the next month. The more new things you try to introduce at the same time, the less effective you will likely be.
Choose something simple that you can do on a daily basis.
If you are trying to create a new habit and you only do something 2 or 3 times a week, its easier to lose momentum. Let’s say you want to create a habit of going to the gym 3 times a week. For the next month, focus on 20 minutes (or whatever is appropriate for you) of physical activity each day - which could include some trips to the gym.
Pick something specific, rather than something vague - eat 3 servings of veggies rather than eat better or 10 minutes of meditation rather than relax more.
Don’t forget to print your 30 day challenge calendar here. More about tracking your success tomorrow.
My challenge?
Let me introduce you to a dear friend of mine. 
This is Cal, our 11 year old border collie. Used to be that he and I would regularly go for walks. Over the past little while, I’ve let my commitment to him slide. Not for any particularly good reason - just the usual excuses about being busy with other less important “commitments”. He has an awfully sweet disposition and like most dogs a very forgiving nature. He loves me anyway. So my 30 day challenge is to get back to daily walks with Cal.
What’s your 30 day challenge habit?
Post a comment and let us know.
Ask Laurel…
September will soon be here with back to school and lots of sports, clubs and activities. How do I avoid over-committing myself and my family?
There are so many wonderful activities to choose, it’s easy to jam your schedule to overflowing. You probably want to give your children a rich smorgasbord of experiences. But just like a food buffet, if you don’t pick and choose, you just might end up making yourself sick. Over-extended schedules, even made with the best intentions, often result in fast food in the car, rushed conversations and frazzled nerves.
What’s your tolerance level?
Each family has its own tolerance level for commitments. Some families are able to take on lots of things and still feel energized. Other families need fewer commitments in order to function smoothly. Think back to last year.
Did you feel overwhelmed?
Did it seem like you were always rushing from one activity to the next without time to breathe?
If the answer is yes, then being pickier about the things you commit to is probably a good idea.
Consciously create an experience
Consider the experience you want to create for your family when making choices. Participating in one activity, having more fun and feeling less stress far outweighs multiple commitments. And remember to leave some white space in your schedule to allow for all of those unexpected things that will most definitely pop up.
What life coaching question would you like to ask Laurel?
