One Word 2011 : Challenge

I am really feeling as if I have definitely chosen the right word for me and what's going on in my life in choosing the word challenge as my word for 2011. I have been in a rut so long just hiding out that I never realized how many ways there are that I can challenge myself everyday. I am feeling so purposeful, so motivated and so positive.

Health & Wellness: I really haven't been challenging myself in this aspect of my life yet. In all honesty when it comes to exercises and nutrition I can be quite lazy. I hate exercises of any kind and I eat what I want whenever I want. This is an area that for the month of February and onward that I really need to work on. I am joining a gym called Curves where you do a 30 minute circut three times per week. I am challenging myself to force myself to go no matter how I am feeling about it. It really is time I got rid of the extra 30 lbs I am carrying. I am so tired all the time and spend night after night with very little sleep. I am going to challenge myself in a few ways for this. Firstly I am a huge coffee drinker. I am going to start limiting myself with my caffeine intake. I really do not mind drinking decaf coffee and in the past few weeks I have started drinking it much more often especially in the evenings. This is something I am going to continue to do. My goal is to have my first few cups of regular coffee in the morning, and then decaf the remainder of the day. I am also going to give in to my aversion to the sleeping pills my doctor has prescribed for me. The medications I take each day cause insomnia and I have always been to scared to take the sleeping pills. I am always scared I won't wake up if one of the kids needs me. I am going to start taking them every now and then as I just can't go on any longer with such a small amount of sleep. I have a doctor's appointment this week and am going to talk to my doctor about quitting smoking. It is something I have been thinking about for a long time and it's high time I get motivated to do so.

Habits: I have many bad habits I fall back on when I am feeling anxiety or depression kicking in. I am challenging myself everyday to not fall back on these old habits. To do something new instead of what I have always done. This week this has been working out wonderfully for me and I am more motivated than ever to break these habits.

Hiding: This week I have not been able to challenge myself in leaving the house everyday as the girls and I have all been stuck inside sick. Next week I will be back to making myself leave the house at least once a day for something other than driving the kids to school. The more I get out, the more I will feel comfortable doing so.

Digital Scrapbooking and Challenges: I have been keeping up with some of the challenges I have committed to participating in this year. Project 365 is not going as well as planned. I will continue to challenge myself in taking pictures each day. I also challenge myself to finish my Digi In Deep V2 class, Joy of Love workshop and to continue to work on Creativity 101.

Thinking: I have been doing really well at challenging my thinking. To look for a better way to deal with what is going on around me. To remain more positive and motivated. The more I challenge myself this way the more it will feel more natural to focus on the positive.

One Word 2011

Challenge really played a key thought in my mind this week. It is something I am trying really hard to think about daily. To find situations each day that challenge me in some way. I really challenged myself in leaving the house this week, made it to 3 appointments, went to my parents for dinner, and went to my friends for coffee, and took the girls tobogganing. Once I was out of the house it ended up feeling really good to be in different surroundings. Felt good to no longer feel trapped inside. This is something I am going to continue to challenge myself in doing over the course of the next few weeks. I think it is really good for me to get out. I have been challenging my thinking, really taking the time to evaluate what's going on around me and how I am feeling. I have been challenging myself to not fall into old patterns, to not give in so easily. I really think that so far Challenge has been the perfect word for this year. It feels so good to extend myself, to make myself do things that may be uncomfortable, for I know in doing so I am growing and learning everyday.

Creative Therapy Catalyst #127

If you would like to play along with this challenge you can find all the details at the Creative Therapy Blog. Catalyst #127 is :



What's your word or focus for 2011.



Here's my layout using this catalyst:

One Word 2011

As many others I know, I have decided to be involved in One Word for the year 2011. This idea was originally started by Ali Edwards . To participate what you do is choose One Word that reflects what you wish to focus on throughout the year. In 2010 my word was soar. It was a takeoff point for me to start my small photography business. This year I have chosen the word Challenge. For I wish to challenge myself in many way this coming year. I wish to challenge myself about my image for I would like to become healthier, loose some weight and gain more energy. I wish to challenge myself in my photography to become involved with the Photo 365 Project where I take photos daily. I believe that this challenge will help me to grow as a photographer, to become more aware of my surroundings and more mindful of everything around me. I wish to expand on my small photography business. To gain more clients and make people more aware of my services. I wish to let go, to let go of my past for it is the future that is oh so important, it is the future where I will become who I want to be. To let go of preconceived notions of what and who I should be, for I am learning that the me that I am now deserves to be recognized and is pretty special.