Challenging Yourself Everyday

    Since the beginning of this pandemic, I’ve been finding one new way to challenge myself everyday. Sometimes it’s small, a phone call, or sometimes it’s something that will become a habit (meditating daily). I hope this will help me emerge from this pandemic stronger than I have been, and I hope it will push myself beyond my comfort zone.

    This week, I completed Tony Robbins’ Comeback Challenge which focused how to be your best self even during this crisis. One of the biggest things I learned was the importance of challenging yourself. Happiness doesn’t depend on results, it depends on progress. Think about a time you’ve worked for a long time to earn something, eventually the happiness from that reward goes away. But if you keep making progress, you will grow, get stronger, and be happier. People who build successful lives don’t do it by getting lucky, they get it by pushing themselves everyday and not giving up on their goals.

 

    I’ve really enjoyed planning these daily challenges and the opportunity it’s given me to focus on my priorities. When you’re thinking about ways to challenge yourself, it’s important to think about your goals. Think about different categories, and which ones are most important to you.

 

Here are some ideas of challenges I’ve done or heard of others doing in a few categories:

 

Socially

• Answer the phone instead of letting it go to voicemail
• Call a store and ask a question instead of going on their website
• Write a thank you note to somebody who has played an important role in your life
• Play a new online game with friends

 

Spiritually

• Virtually attend a new type of religious gathering
• Read a book from another faith
• Engage a friend or coworker in a conversation about their spirituality

 

Physical

• Run five miles
• Go on a several days long hiking trip
• Eat vegetables with every meal

 

Fun

• Learn to do handstands
• Play a new instrument
• Walk on a slackline
• Master a Rubik's Cube
• Learn to memorize decks of cards
• Explore a new type of art

 

Career

• Take an online course relevant to your job
• Update your resume
• Reach out to someone in a job you’re interested in
• Research future school options

 

Mental/Educational

• Learn a new language
• Read a book everyday
• Listen to a new podcast about something you don’t know a lot about
• Start a journal
• Write poetry

 

How do you plan to challenge yourself? What are some other ideas you have from these categories?

 

One helpful hint to stay on top of these challenges is to join a group doing them. If you want to start a daily meditation practice, look for a group which does this. You can also find groups online for learning new languages, exercise goals, healthy eating goals, and home organization goals.

 

Whatever you try, enjoy it! Recognize the courage it took to put yourself out there, and explore how many things you can do that you have never tried before.