Try Something New!

What can a friendly CHALLENGE do for you? 

By nature, people tend to be creatures of comfort! So you work to a level that feels good to you and then tend to stay there. But if you don't push, there will be limits to your growth! It can really be very motivating to try things that you wouldn't normally try, to simply step out of your box and see what you CAN do! How do you know what your BEST is, if you don't test yourself?

Having others to be accountable with, can help you get to the next level, whether that is simply breaking out of your comfort zone or attempting something that you otherwise wouldn't have even tried! Sharing goals, accomplishments and even challenging one another can really push and pull you to another level - and learning that you CAN achieve things you didn't realize, DRIVES you even further!

It's easy to settle into a comfort zone in life, in your workouts, which can work, don't get me wrong!  However, the results both physically and mentally are SO much more rewarding, when you face something that is outside of that Zone and force yourself to rise to the challenge.  We help our children reach those hallmarks all the time - learning to swim, ride a bike, shoot a basketball, swing a golf club.  Growth comes from new experiences right?  Dealing with challenge, learning from your successes and your failures, how to modify your efforts to reach success! Those are healthy challenges that build our self-esteem with EVERY triumph!

Until You spread your wings, You will have no idea how far you can fly!

I am an admitted control freak, type A, creature of HABIT!   I have my routine and being behind that, outside of it, unprepared for it, well....ask my husband, not good!  I have always liked my nice familiar spot, predictability, the safe zone, if you will. And my habits are not bad, they are very organized, detailed, scheduled, leaving room for what might crop up.  I was already OCD before having 4 kids, but after having 4 kids under 2 years old, I became way more attached to the schedule.  I knew just what would fit where, how I could get 15 minutes here and 5 minutes there and just how to work it so they napped at the same time, etc.  But, I got so attached to my schedule and my comfort zone that we weren't living, branching out, we missed out on things that we could have grown from.  A few months ago, a friend nudged me to get out of my Zone.  I dug my heels in, refused to take the steps, made excuses for why my way worked better.  I believed it!  And as pissed off as one human can be, I started trying some new things, stepping out of my HABITS.  But, I surprised myself!  I actually WAS capable of more!  I liked new habits and what they added to my SELF.  I liked how they made me proud of myself, built me up, gave me strength and the self confidence to keep swimming!  It's amazing what new experiences, successes and failures - trying to work through them, what it all can do to stimulate you mentally and physically.   It's mind-blowing how just because your way works...doesn't mean that a tweak won't give you the edge to an even better place!

Mini-challenges to push you along...

Last month a friend challenged me to a 200 push-up workout, 100% from my toes! At first, I was like, WHOA! But, I surprised myself by doing it without all that much pain. ;) If she had not pushed ME, I don't know that I would have tried that myself!  

Since then, I have done a new weekly challenge for myself, some with friends, some just with really high goals! But, doing them with someone else certainly makes you work harder!  It has helped strengthen my confidence to try new thing more often! 

Adding regular challenges and trying NEW things can be liberating and empowering! Is there something you've been wanting to try? Give it a shot, you might surprise yourself! ;)

Strength does NOT come from what you CAN do, it comes from OVERCOMING the things you once thought you couldn't!

A couple challenges ago: The Ninja Jump - thanks to Heather Barritt - not perfect but working on it! PS I hit the deck more than a couple times on this! lol ; 






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