Challenge Yourself



 

When someone suggests a challenge what do you normally think about?
 For many the word triggers negative feelings and thoughts.  Do you picture something hard? Do you shake at the thought of doing something whether you want to or not?  Do you envision yourself in competition and losing?  Do you worry that you might not be able to meet the expectations set?  Do you expect to be laughed at or ridiculed for failing? Do you feel inferior in some way and afraid?
Or are you one for which the word triggers a feeling of excitement?  Do you get anxious to show you are better than someone else?  Do you feel anticipation of something exciting about to begin?  Do you look forward to trying something you may have never done before?
I hope you are the latter, however if you are not, that is OK.  The majority of people I have encountered through the years would find them themselves in the first category, experiencing fear and trepidation. 
The truth is Challenges are a part of everyday life.  You don't always get to pick them, but you do always get to face them.  How you meet the challenges you are given or the ones you give yourself is your choice.  You can develop the skills to master each one in the perfect way for you.  That does not mean that you will always come out the winner, be the best or achieve perfection, but you will always learn and be better in some way.
Among the definitions of Challenge found in Merriam-Webster dictionary are:

• to demand as due or deserved
• to dispute especially as being unjust, invalid or outmoded
• to confront or defy boldly
• to arouse or stimulate especially by presenting with difficulties
• to invite into competition

The best person to create a challenge for you is you.  No one knows or understands you better.  No one knows better than you what you dreams, wishes and hopes are or the person you want to be now or in the future.   No one knows better than you what your strengths or weaknesses are and how they affect your present circumstances.  Finally no one knows better than you the choices you make each day that either keep you where you are or move you in new directions. 
Thinking about the definitions above, what kind of challenge could you give yourself at this time? Keep in mind, it does not have to be hard, unless you enjoy facing hard challenges.  It does not have to look a certain way.  Remember this is something for you not for someone else so as long as it works for you it doesn't matter how someone else may see it.  It is OK to have fun, to laugh, to incorporate something unusual or to enjoy the process. 
What is it you feel you deserve?  What do you want right now you don't feel you have?  What is it you have wanted but put off because of someone or something else in your life?  Challenge yourself to treat yourself to one thing that comes to mind.  Challenge yourself to do something nice for you.  It might be as simple as taking that long bath you wanted, going to the gym or buying a new outfit.  The challenge may be nothing more than one time saying no to someone so you can say yes to you. 
What is it you have thought more than once about changing?  Is it something about you? Something in your home you wish you could replace or feel you don't need any longer?  What is it about you, your surroundings or relationships you could work on removing, updating or improving?  Maybe it is finally throwing out an article of clothing you have worn for so too many years to admit and buying one that is not so threadbare to replace it.   Updating your home may be as simple as adding a new plant, some new pillows, hanging a new picture or buying a colorful fleece blanket to throw over a favorite chair you just can't bear to part with.   Maybe your challenge is to improve a relationship and all the effort it requires is one smile a day
What is it about you would like to learn, improve, be better at?  What would you like to do more often.   What would it take to arouse or stimulate your passion?   Buy a $2.00 set of children's watercolors and  let your creativity erupt.  There is nothing that triggers a desire to go fishing like finding a new lure or a new wilderness spot.  Challenge yourself to find one "how to" book on something someone said you might not like.  You will be surprised how wrong they were.  
Challenge yourself.   Do it today, tomorrow and even the following day.  Make it fun.  Make it worthwhile.  Make it personal.  Most of all make it fun and easy.  Enjoy one challenge and find out how enjoyable it can be to do it again and again.  Then stand back and look at what occurs and smile.  You Did It. 

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/challenge

START - Your own way

I had a friend who recently recommended a book for me to read.  
START: Serve, Thank, Ask, Receive, Trust”
― Richie Norton, The Power of Starting Something Stupid: How to Crush Fear, Make Dreams Happen, and Live Without Regret . 

Although I have not yet purchased this book, the message to START something stuck with me.  When I first heard about the book I thought I wanted to dedicate a single blog to each one of these concepts.  I immediately, went into this blog and set up a draft page for each idea, thinking I would come back to them later.  Well, later took much longer than I had anticipated, as it often does as life does not go exactly as we plan.  However, the thought stayed with me that these five words needed to be shared in some way, as they each really do impact our lives every day. Each one of them is a skill to master. 

The words and order the author of this book had chosen were very good for the message he wanted to share. Yet as the weeks have gone on I realized that the power wasn't in the five words he selected the letters to stand for, but in the very word START.    During the past week I have found that what I really wanted to share here was encouragement to just start something.   I found that the word START seemed to change dependent on my own focus for the moment.    For instance, when thinking about a loved one, the words START stood for Serve, Trust, Act, Receive, Thank.   When thinking about goals at work I found that I wrote START as Set Goals, Time Limits, Act, Review, Think Again.   As I began writing this, and another blog post, START stood for Share (these thoughts with you), Trust (that I can touch a  heart or mind), Ask (you to believe in yourself), Receive (the chance to hear back from you) and Thank (you for your trust and trying it for yourself).  

We all have the opportunity to START.  Some may start something new.  Some may start from a place where they last were.  Some may need to start again after a pause or event.  Some may start alone and another may start with a friend.  Some may start today while another may wait to start tomorrow.  Some may start one thing at a time and stick with it while someone else may start many things at once and then work a little on each as time allows.   However, or whatever, your starting place is or what you want to start, it is perfect.  It is perfect for you in some way.  So I encourage to think about what you want to START and go for it.  Go for it with passion, belief and the knowledge you can and will succeed in some way.  It may not be what you expect, but you will not be the same after you have started that you are at this moment.