ANTI-PROCRASTINATION

Rachel Hollis and her #Last90Days 5 Things To Do To Thrive challenge started today and Instagram was lit with people using the hashtag.

It was inspiring to follow along and see so many people wanting to live their lives in a purposeful way.

5 Things To Do To Thrive #last90days is a challenge that is meant to motivate and keep you accountable for finishing the last 90 days of the year strong.

Why wait for the new year to start? I love the do-it-now approach of this challenge.

{Image via Moms & Beyond}

HERE ARE THE 5 TO THRIVE

1. Get up an hour earlier than you normally do and use the time for yourself.
2. Workout at least 30 minutes a day.
3. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day.
4. Give up one food category you know you shouldn’t be eating.
5. Write down 10 things that you are grateful for each day.

When my sister shared the challenge with me, I told her I was pretty much already doing those 5 things. I didn’t mean to be arrogant or boastful, but last June I started getting up 1 hour early.

Honestly the other 5 things just kinda fell into place, just by being purposeful with getting my bum out of bed! A snowball-type effect.

It is fun to have a challenge that will help solidify and zero in on these simple, already life-changing things that help me in my pursuit to live new, live well and live with purpose!

Want to do it too?

MY THOUGHTS ON 5 THINGS TO DO TO THRIVE

1. Wake Up An Hour Early

Rachel Hollis is quick to add that this does NOT apply to new Mama’s, or those in seasons of life where extra sleep IS caring for yourself.

BUT… if you find yourself saying, “I don’t have time to read” or “I can’t find time to work out” or if you know that things like prayer, journaling or meditation would benefit you more than sleep right now…then get on up!

I started doing this thanks to advice from The Miracle Morning, and after hearing it over and over from people like Brendon Burchard, Lewis Howe and Tony Robbins, it has been a goal on my mind that I wanted to pursue.

I have been doing it regularly since early June and it has been life-changing.

I’VE BEEN WAKING UP EARLY IN ORDER TO LIVE SLOW. A PURPOSEFUL SLOW.

I spend the early morning time doing things I already was doing on a regular basis, but now I am not rushed and have a head start…it has become my favorite time of day!

I get coffee, light a candle, journal, pray, use my Bible app and meditate. By doing these habits an hour early, the rest of my day is so much more calm, focused and productive.

I am getting up regularly at 6, and there was even one week in August that I got up at 5:30 to do some extra writing for a project, and goodness was THAT ever a productive experience!

I had no idea my brain could be so clear and focused that early in the morning, but it was and is. I will write more about this discovery in another post.

Not a morning person? My advice is to try it anyway…you may be surprised and find out (like I did) that maybe you are a morning person after all. It takes time to create a habit, 20 days they say…so try it.

Wake up to do something that you REALLY, really look forward to! This is key for me.

2. Workout At Least 30 Minutes a Day

By getting up an hour early, I found myself being able to fit workouts in and quite motivated to do so. The challenge to myself was to simply move my body every day.

I took a break from some cancer medication that I have been on, and my joints felt so much better, so I was extra motivated and thankful to be able to move!

I walk daily for at least 30 minutes, with a goal of seeing my Fitbit reach 10,000 steps by the end of the day. These walks are so enjoyable thanks to nature and podcasts and my favorite Voxer app.

I decided not to put pressure on myself to jog or run, simply because I don’t enjoy it. Because of this I actually looked forward to my daily walk and it became a habit.

I also have added yoga to my ‘move everyday goal’ as it is so good for my joints and learning how to breathe is so good for anxiety. This simple 10 Minute Morning Routine is a fav, and I am on day 6 of this 30 Day Yoga Revolution series on Youtube.

I am going to use the 5 to Thrive Challenge to go from 5 days a week to 7 days a week. Eek! Good thing I really love walking and yoga. Wish me luck!

3. Drink Half Your Body Weight in Ounces of Water Each Day.

This is easy for me. Whoo-hoo! So nice to have something in the challenge that does not feel like a challenge. I drink black coffee, matcha or herbal tea, and then it is water the rest of the day.

The key for me has been my inexpensive Bubba waterbottle because it keeps my ice from melting and has a huge straw which makes getting water in a breeze.  Easy to gulp gulp gulp!

It is 24 ounces, so if I refill it 4 times a day I’m pretty much there…especially if I count my herbal tea for hydration.

4. Give Up One Food Catagory You Know You Shouldn’t Be Eating

The food category I have been working on is all the white things. White sugar, white carbs –white pasta, white flour, white bread etc. I am great with this until the weekend.

I’ve made exceptions for pizza on Friday family nights (although we have been trying out cauliflower crust pizza the last few weeks) and date nights or social outings.

I’m trying to decide if I am going to give this up completely. I think if I commit to this, I will fail…just being real and honest.

I am good with committing to 90% giving this up, but leaving space and grace on certain family nights and social outings or date nights.

Those really only come on Friday and Saturday evenings, and an occasional extended family get together on Sundays (once a month), so 90% it is!

This is doable and already something I have been putting into place, although saying no to a fun Pumpkin Spice Latte during the week will take some discipline for sure!

5. Write Down 10 Things That You’re Grateful For Each Day

I started writing what I call lists of ‘gifts’ in 2010 when I was diagnosed with cancer. It changed me and made the fight bearable. I listed them in an ongoing fashion on this blog and surpassed 1,000!

I have been listing 3/day on a daily docket I use each day and gather them at the end of the week into my journal and reflect on all the amazing things I have to be thankful for.

I can up my game on this…but it bugs me that I only left 3 lines on the daily docket I made…now I wish there were 10! Guess I will need to re-design it.

By the way, I will be sharing this docket with you in the coming weeks. It is another simple tool that creates habits that bring about purpose.

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So there it is. My thoughts on the 5 to Thrive Challenge. I’m 90% in for 90Days. 🙂

How about you?

Let me know if you are participating.

I will share my progress with you and give glimpses of what I do on my Instagram stories. Find me @Amy_NewNostalgia