End of Challenge Wrap Up • 30 Day Happiness Challenge #30dayhappy
Updated December 2016
This version of the 30-Day Happiness Challenge is no longer freestanding. It will live again in my new Facebook group. The #1 topic I am asked to talk about is Inspiration/Motivation … #2 is hair (yeah girl I was shocked too). In response, I started a Facebook Group named 🌱 CELEBRATE NEW GROWTH 🌱 where the entire purpose is supporting an expanded life in all areas. If you want to be part of a positive, supportive group of women intent on living bigger, being better, and taking things higher then join us! — bit.ly/CelebrateNewGrowth. See you there! 🌱💚
Happy month of May to 1 and all. This is the month that I was born in so how could you now love it? 🙂
At the beginning of April I begun a new journey to improved mood with my 30 Day Happiness Challenge. The challenge included me intentionally doing things each day in an effort to train my brain and create ripples of positivity that affect other areas of my life in the months to come.
Catch up on what inspired the challenge and what it entailed here.
Each day in April I challenged myself to:
- Write down 3 new things that I was grateful for
- Journal about one positive experience I had over the past 24 hours
- Meditate using the relaxation audios located in the Depression CBT application*
- Drink 64 ounces of water
- Go to bed before midnight
and at least twice a week I challenged myself to:
- Send 1 positive message to someone in my social support network praising or thanking them
- Exercise
Here is my week 1 update. | Here is my week 2 update.
Overall I’d call the challenge a tempered success. I say “tempered” because it helped steer my mood in the right direction, but I did not execute everything as I wanted so next month I’ll try to do better (yes I’m going to keep going).
Here is how I did during the official challenge in the month of April:
“Write down 3 new things that I am grateful for”
This was the 1 thing I did most consistently. It helped and I’m going to continue doing it. Knowing I had to produce 3 things every day forced me to scan the world for good, even when it was difficult to do. I’m certain that continuing to do this will have a great a
“Journal about one positive experience I’ve had over the past 24 hours”
This was my 2nd most successful endeavor during the challenge. It had the same effect as documenting 3 things I’m grateful for. Reliving a positive event each day was a great way to end my day and helped to focus my mind on the positive once more.
“Meditate using the relaxation audios located in the Depression CBT application“
I started strong doing this at the beginning of the month but faded out later in the month. It’s unfortunate because I really enjoyed the affect it had on me. I’m going to get back into meditating ever so often in the future.
“Drink 64 ounces of water”
I’m amazed I did so poorly in this area this month because I’m historically a huge water drinker! I could blame last week’s stomach flu but that wouldn’t be fare because I was only getting in 32 oz. a day prior to that. I must do better though now coming off of this sickness because I can tell the difference when I’m hydrated versus when I’m not.
“Go to bed before midnight”
Another area where I failed and must do better. I seemed to go to bed at 2AM more often than not which is not ok for so many reason. As my birthday approaches and I get closer to staring 40 right in the face I must be more serious about my beauty rest. It really makes a difference.
“Send 1 positive message to someone in my social support network praising or thanking them”
This was a fun one for me and I’m definitely going to continue doing it. I did it just this morning via text. It just makes you feel good, and, in this current culture where everyone is self-absorbed and isolated behind their varied media, it’s nice to hear something nice human to human. I may start doing lunch with folk if I can in the future.
“Exercise”
This was a hit or miss. I had to dance at church earlier in the month so there were several choreography, practice and ministry sessions in the first couple weeks but then life, doctors appointments and a stomach virus took over and I stopped completely. My husband graduates mid-May and that will free up a great deal of time on both ends. That should help me find time to get in some work outs … it should.
Ultimately this challenge was a great idea and helped me to refocus in a way that I really needed to do. I’m going to continue do this in some fashion in the upcoming months! I received great feedback from the members of my Facebook group including this little number:
which just made my day! 🙂
The 30 Day Happiness Challenge Facebook group is still open and active per the request of the members. Although the challenge is officially over for this round, if you are interested in joining the group let me know below and I will send you an invitation via email.
This version of the 30-Day Happiness Challenge is no longer freestanding. It will live again in my new Facebook group named 🌱 CELEBRATE NEW GROWTH 🌱 where the entire purpose is supporting an expanded life in all areas. If you want to be part of a positive, supportive group of women intent on living bigger, being better, and taking things higher then join us! — bit.ly/CelebrateNewGrowth. See you there! 🌱💚
2 Comments
BigTickles
This challenge has transformed my mind… too bad I did not keep up with my journal…sigh
I plan on trying to journal again in June.
glamazini
Don’t feel bad because, as you can see by the wrap up I didn’t do all of it all month either. I found that even when I slipped up it helped so I’m continuing to do it as best I could.