Live Your Best Life Challenge March Update!

Alright lovelies if you started your Oprah 's Live Your Best Life Challenge on the same day that I did mine then you have completed one month! Awesome, I really hope you did better than me. This past month was filled with a lot of work junk, some sickness, and Hubby leaving town so I barely had time to keep everything together much less do well on my challenge. I did stick with the Deep Breath, and Confidence badge so that's something, and I have earned a total of 427 points. The biggest thing to remember is that this is a positive experience. If you slip, or miss a few days it's OK because this is about bettering yourself, going at your speed, and doing this how you want.

I decided that each month I will add one new badge to my list of goals. I'm really happy about my main 7 goals, but I wanted to add something new to challenge myself. Here is how I'm doing so far with my badges:

1. Daily Reading
This one has been fairly easy to keep excluding the days that I fall asleep the second I crawl into bed.

2. Deep Breath
This one has been an easy one to remember to do, and I honestly do feel like it has made an improvement over my daily calmness

3. DeStress
This one is kind of tough. I'm still having a hard time letting it all go before I let it get to me, but all you can do is keep trying. This is a process.

4. Confidence
I like this one, and I feel like it's doing something really great for my self-esteem so I'm glad that I've been able to keep with it as easy as I have been.

5.  Workout at Home
This one is another toughie. It's not that the workout is hard..it's that I keep forgetting to do it. Maybe I need to leave myself post it notes.

6. PureJoy
I like doing this one, but it's another that I forget to do daily. I think it's a good one though because I really feel a lot happier and in an overall better mood when I do remember to do it. 

7. Yoga
This one is hard because yoga vs sleep...sleep always wins. I do plan on getting better about it in these next 30 days.

and the new one......

8. Forgiveness
I decided on this one because I deserve it, even though they might not. My challenge will be every time I climb into bed I will forgive one person. It may be as simple as a guy who didn't hold the door for me when I was juggling boxes, a woman who cut me off, or maybe a wound that has been open for far too long. The smaller ones will be easy, the bigger ones will not, but I deserve happiness and carrying a grudge and hurt isn't happiness and it isn't healthy. I want this year to be amazing and holding onto petty things isn't hurting anyone but me. I'm excited about this challenge, and I really hope I can truly let myself forgive.


So...how are you doing? What goals did you find easy and which ones did you find hard? Did you add any this month? I would LOVE to know how you are doing, and it's SOOOO not too late to start. Just head over to my first challenge post, and get familiar with the process then join up...it's so simple! I really, truly hope you are accomplishing your goals for this year..we can do this!!

My February Live Your Best Life Challenge Goals

Well everyone if you read my Cosmo Post you know that I prefer magazines more attuned to my needs. What I like to think are the average woman's needs ( God let me be normal). Magazines that help make your day a little brighter, uplift you, make you laugh and teach you something actually useful. I received my Oprah magazine and started reading through it while Hubbs was giving me some " Mommy Time ".

There I was with my coffee by my bedside table at 9:00 at night ( I can't be the only one who does this) and my laptop near me with my O mag in my lap. I never thought I would like it because honestly I wasn't that much of a fan when it came to her show, but as a person she is AWESOME and her magazine delivers people. Seriously. While reading I came across a little thing she is doing with Daily Feats called the " Live Your Best Life Challenge".

 It is where you log onto Oprah.com/LYBL sign up, and take the challenge. Basically you look through badges and find ones that you want to start doing more of. Things that you want to start incorporating into your life. They range from money management to simply breathing in deeply or talking to your neighbor. You add these goals to your list and you create a plan on how your going to incorporate them into your day to day routine. When you "check in" and click that you did it for that day you receive points which can be earned for discounts, B1G1 coupons, and gift cards.These are mine :

1. Daily Reading
I read a lot, but I have been a little dissapointed in myself with how little I read my bible. I don't really know why, it usually makes me feel encouraged and hopeful but for some reason I just always seem to forget to take the time to read it. So my routine will be to read a page or two every time I lay munchkin down for the night so I know I can totally focus.

2. Deep Breath
This one is something that sounds so simple, but think about it: how many times a day do you just take a moment to close your eyes and breathe in and then out? Just taking a small moment to breathe I think makes your mind instantly clearer and calmer. My routine will be that every time I put munchkin down for a nap I will take two long deep breaths in and out.

3. Destress
This one is so basic and so tricky. I usually don't realize I'm under stress until I'm beyond stressed. A few little things will happen and I'll think no biggie, but then before I know it Hubbs will find me with a margarita in one hand and scrubbing the dishes in my sink like they owe me money with the other. Then of course answer with " nothing. I'm fine" yea...ok. My routine is to try and stop it before it gets to that point. When something stressful happens no matter how big or small I will write it down physically on paper and look at it. Then I will doodle on that page and answer these questions: Can I control it? Can I help it? How does it affect me? Will it matter in ten years? I think that will put things into perspective and help me cope with stress a little better...it wont hurt to try.

4. Confidence
I think most people can relate to this. I have moments, but I do not consider myself confident and I want that to change because I have a daughter and I want her to be confident and the only way she will learn to love herself and exude confidence is through me. My routine is that everytime I glance at a mirror I will pay myself a genuine compliment and actually truly believe it.

5. Workout At Home
Ok let's be real...I'm not going to a gym, I'm not going to workout to an exercise video in the few moments I get to myself when the baby is asleep. What I will do however is a small walk once a day and my new challenge routine: I will do 20 sets of whatever exercise move I choose whenever I get done feeding munchkin. I might do 20 pushups, lunges, sit-ups, etc...whatever strikes my fancy in that moment.

6.Purejoy
Lately I have felt myself becoming more and more serious as the weeks go on. Sure I laugh and smile but I think sometimes I get so caught up in taking care of the baby and worrying over things that need to get done that I don't appreciate how wonderful and full of happiness my life already is. So my routine will be that I will shake my booty like Luke Bryan himself asked me to do it and let myself be goofy and silly for at least one song halfway through my day. Maybe right before lunch so I don't feel guilt about eating two bowls of Lucky Charms....

7.Yoga
The only type of Yoga I have ever done was the P90X version and it wasn't really geared towards relaxing, but I know that yoga can be. There is something beautiful in waking up before the house is crazy and taking time to relax and get myself centered. My routine will be doing 20 minutes of Yoga when I get up in the morning. I really like this website with TONS of free videos you can cater to your level and time that you have to work out.

There it is. My January list of things to better my life. I don't really consider these resolutions because I think resolutions are more negative and you feel horrible when you break them or slip. This is more uplifting and encouraging plus you get rewards for helping yourself! Anyway, I thought I would share my goals and spread the word on this awesome challenge. Let me know what your goals are if you choose to do this!!!!