Set a Challenge for Self Help

 


Challenging Yourself Can Lead to Your Own Personal Growth

Rediscover 'you' by challenging yourself to change. 

These challenges do not have to take a lifetime. Challenges can take place for just 3 to 5 days to acquire a 'taste', or you could set yourself a 30 day challenge.......it's your personal growth challenge and for you to decide. Setting challenges will help to increase your own self-esteem, create belief in yourself and build upon your knowledge for all that interests you



Challenge your Habits

A challenge can be the motivational tool to set you up for a small change or equally a whole lifestyle change

In my private facebook group Healthy Forever Fitness Motivation Private Group we are presently in the middle of a '5 Day Challenge'. An introduction to building healthy habits. The challenge is for a short period of time, but with a 'lifetime' change in mind. The challenge is the motivational tool...... the habit changes are aiming for the lifetime goal of improving our health in everyday life. 

The support of a group is an additional plus if you are taking part in a challenge. You may prefer to set yourself a challenge and hold yourself accountable......but again, the choice is yours because its for your own self growth

Challenges can re-programme our 'negative' thoughts into very 'positive' reflections. How many times do we use these excuses? "I don't have the time", "I am too tired" or "I am too busy"? A short or well planned challenge will be structured to fit into your everyday activities and schedules to help you feel accomplished and satisfied with your results.


Challenge Your Self-Worth

This is a more sensitive challenge and takes practice for adults to realise their own self-worth. As an adult, we procure bad habits through our years. For example we listen and believe our critical 'inner voice' or 'others peoples' perception of us and what we do. We have to challenge both of these 'internal' and 'external' factors for our own self care and personal growth. 

One very positive 'self-care' practice is to complete a gratitude journal Presently Journal app. This little tool will help to focus on the 'positive' activities of our daily life. Although this takes a little practice, it will challenge you to revoke any negative thoughts and alter your belief patterns. You may wonder how a few words written in a journal can have such a significant impact on your self-worth. 

This simple practice has many benefits in helping your daily struggles of striving towards positive mental health. Reflecting on the days as you read through your journal will increase 'positive vibes' around you and the realisation that the simple things in life make you happy. The kind acts of others will make you happy, your own influence on others will make you happy.....suddenly the 'negative vibes' will no longer exist as you complete your journal. 

This practice will help you to realise that external critics will not invade your own peace. Their views and words will become meaningless, as you learn to react differently to criticism, to insults and to personal digs. You will re-learn and recognise your own self-worth by reminding yourself regularly of the following:

  • You do not need to please people in anyway? If you have done your best, been as kind as you can and have given as much as you can, then you can do no more than this.
  • It doesn't matter what people say or do, regardless of how hurtful or cutting it maybe......you alone can control how you feel about yourself. 
  • You alone can respond to events or circumstances......you have the power to do this with your internal resources and the reflection of your own self-value and self-worth.
  • Your value in is your journal......your own positivity, your happiness and your gratitude in your daily life. 


Challenge Overthinking

Overthinking......is so destructive to everything around you, your relationships, work, friends, holidays and so much more. It's as intrusive to those around you as it it to your 'own being'. We know this.......so why can't we just STOP. This is where setting yourself a challenge or challenges will end this damaging behaviour. Set yourself deadlines for any 'overthinking' time that is disturbing your peace and try sticking to it


Overthinking Active Challenge List

  • For minor activities - such as making an awkward call, answering a tricky email, filing paperwork or sorting your inbox....the smaller things that play on your mind. Give yourself just one minute to decide whether you will attempt the task in hand. Spend no longer than one minute on this decision. Either make the call......or just leave it and think no more.
  • For Major Activities - the bigger problems in life that take longer to tackle such as financial issues that worry you (pensions, overdrafts, loans, mortgages), family issues etc......give yourself a time slot of 45 minutes to an hour (with pen and paper if this helps). Talk your problems through, make a plan or solve your problem in that time slot. Make sure that you set a time during your leisure hours rather than a stressful part of your day......a time when you are less likely to be distracted or disturbed. Plan the time that is best for you to function and concentrate on the issue at hand. Spend no longer than an hour and if the issue is not resolved, put it to one side until the next time. Make a note in your diary and do not spend anymore time overthinking.
  • Multitasking - this is a big NO for over-thinkers. Do not try and do more than one thing at a time. Most over-thinkers try and do too many activities in a day and create more stress than is necessary. Learn to say NO to extra pressure on an already overloaded mind. If it cannot be done today......then leave it until tomorrow. Your mental health is more important. Practice these words " No I cannot do this today, however I am happy to attempt this tomorrow or when I have the spare time to do so" Make a note in your diary and complete this request or activity at a time you choose.
  • Mindfulness  - this takes a little practice. Living in the present stops the mind wondering to the issues we are trying to avoid. By practising mindfulness, our thoughts are tuned into the present moment rather than reciting the past or visualising the future. Have a read of my article Stress, Mindfulness and Health . You will find tips and mindfulness techniques to practice and help calm overthinking minds.
  • Out of Your Hands - Some situations or life events are completely out of your control. No amount of overthinking will change this type of scenario. "Learn to accept the things you cannot change, the courage to change the things you can and the wisdom to know the difference"
  • Sleeping - An over-thinkers nightmare (pardon the pun). Bedtime is possibly the worse time for the brain to become it's most active. Always have a notepad beside your bed. As your problems and worries enter your head....jot them down in your notepad...transfer your thoughts from your head to your pad and leave them there until the morning. Start this practice as soon as possible and re-train your brain. Use the above methods to deal with the issues you have jotted down in your pad. Writing down your problems instead of leaving them to swirl around and around like is a huge spiral inside your mind will help towards a better nights sleep.

This challenge is important for you to break the habit of overthinking. Work through your worries in a methodical fashion, use mindfulness to stop overloading your mind and use your note pad to put your thoughts on hold. Most over-thinkers are kind people wanting to please everyone. This act of kindness is not possible. Try to be kind to yourself.

Conclusion

Setting ourselves regular challenges will enhance personal growth, keep life interesting, help us to achieve goals, increase self awareness, help us with self-esteem and self-value. We can exchange bad habits for good, stop the destructive nature of overthinking and self destruction.......all very positive

Fear does not have to be the factor or excuse for not setting yourself challenges? We have a choice....to make ourselves accountable, or join a group for support. No challenge is a failure......we learn from our challenges....about ourselves and our own limits. We can make adjustments from the results of our challenges, understand how to manage our time and most importantly, how to be kind to ourselves. 


©HealthyForeverFitnessMotivation

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Comments

  1. Excellent, I’m going to try the notebook by the bed.....

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    Replies
    1. Well done Jax.....This is something I have used for a good couple of years.....It is weird how your mind accepts that the problem has been transferred elsewhere....an almost calming tool, to stop the brain from thinking, then rethinking and so on. Thank you for reading my article.

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