How to Improve Your Life with a 30 Day Challenge

In August of 2012, I attended BYU Education week. This is something I love to do as often as I can. ( You can go here to find out why I keep going back, year after year.)  Upon returning home, I have pages of notes, book titles to add to my "must read" list and thoughts constantly swarming around in my brain, about all the great things I learned.  But how much of that do I retain, after six months or longer?  Not as much as I would like.  I have, however, remembered and applied much of what I learned in one of the classes that I took.  Sister Jennifer Brinkerhoff Platt taught a class  entitled, "Seeing Yourself as You Really Are, and As You Really Can Be", and much of the content of that class is in this book.  I've enjoyed the book, but the class was so much better.  Sister Platt was entertaining and cute as a button and I often find myself thinking back to those four hours in her class and the things she taught.  At the beginning of one of her classes she showed this TED talk, entitled 30 Day Challenges.  It's only 3 minutes long, so go ahead and watch it. You won't be sorry.   

Wasn't that great?  Are you motivated to try something new?  In the past few years I've tried a number of 30 Day Challenges from everything to practicing the piano, knitting, taking pictures, exercising, speaking positive words and reading the scriptures.  I agree with the speaker when he said, "You can do almost anything for 30 days."  And even if I wasn't completely successful at accomplishing my goal for the full 30 days each time, the way I see it, any attempt at improvement is movement in the right direction.  And 30 days will pass whether we set a goal or not, so why not set a goal and work on it?

I've decided that this year my 30 Day Challenges will revolve around becoming a healthier me.  I know January is the month that everyone is making such resolutions, but I'm hoping this will carry over into February and beyond. Some months will be more difficult than others (like getting eight hours of sleep is going to be a lot more fun than training for a 5K), but I'm hoping that each month I'll learn something that will help me be just a little healthier and happier.   

Now, for my first 30 Day Challenge of the year, I've chosen to try and shed some holiday weight.  I don't regret all that yummy food I ate, because the holidays only come once a year and food is a big part of that celebration for us.  But, I am having a hard time getting my pants buttoned, so I need to deal with this, and pronto.  I like to be able to breathe, you know?  So here's my plan for becoming a thinner me - I'm following the Fast Metabolism Diet.  I'm not big on diets in general, but a girl's gotta do what she's gotta do, right?  I'm a week into this one and actually feeling pretty good about things.  Here are the reasons I chose this plan:

* It's healthy and scientifically based to help reset your metabolism.

* No weird diet foods, just "real" food, eaten at specific times.

* The plan is 28 days long, so it fits perfectly with my challenge

* I've watched others around me shrink while on this plan.  It works! 

I'll keep you posted about my progress.  I hope to have good things to report at the end of the month.  One nice thing that has already come out of this challenge, is that I have learned to make a most excellent roasted red pepper hummus.  Stop back by in a few days for the recipe.  

*I'd love to hear about your goals for the new year.