Breaking Barriers to Confidence
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The biggest reward for challenging yourself is an incomparable feeling of vitality and new energy. The more you push your limits, the more comfortable and competent you become at doing so.
30 Day Challenge
The mission behind the Breaking Barriers to Confidence 30 Day Challenge is to encourage you to become proactive about pushing through your self-imposed limitations (and they are all self-imposed!).
The challenge is to set and accomplish a small goal during the month of November that is not merely a task added to a list, or something you think you should do, but one that will stretch you, push through your preconceived limits, and if it scares you a little … all the better!
Share Your Story
Setting and achieving your goal is the first part of this challenge. Next, I’m asking you to share your story.
Why should you share your story? A couple of reasons. First, because it is an opportunity to inspire others and that in itself is a wonderful way to build confidence. And second because the very act of committing to submit your story adds an element of accountability.
Accountability separates the wishers in life from those who care enough about their future to be responsible for their daily actions.
Can you relate to trying to reach the same goal over and over again and getting little to no results? Let’s take your health for instance (since this is a common New Year resolution).
Many studies show that the person who actually achieves weight loss and transition into a healthier lifestyle is the person who connected into some form of an accountability program. It could be external, say hiring a trainer, joining a group, or hiring a nutritionist. Or, it could simply be committing to share your story.
There is something about having to take responsibility for our actions that motivates us to stay on track with our goals.
THERE’S MORE!
Now here’s where it gets fun. The 3 most inspiring submissions will be included in a new book coming out in December on this very subject. This book will be made available FREE as a service to Emotionally Resilient Living followers and represents an exciting collaboration among 10 women who are professionals in their respective fields and will be sharing inspiring stories about how they overcame their own challenges.
You don’t have to be a professional writer!
All that matters is your story. Simply explain how you challenged yourself and what that meant to you. I’ll be happy to work with any of the winners who would like my help with fine-tuning the writing prior to publication.
How It Works
When you register to participate (totally FREE!) you’ll receive instruction on how to submit your story along with a brief guide containing helpful tips on identifying and pushing through your self-imposed limits and a few examples. Official registration will run from November 1 – 30th and you can register at any point during that time.
Small Challenges With BIG Potential
The possibilities are endless and I’ve listed a few ideas below to get you started.
- Learn something new. Set a goal to do something that you have absolutely no idea how to do and then learn how to do it!
- Do something you’ve been telling yourself it was too late to do. Learn to surf, skin dive, or play guitar. Take an art class or singing lessons. If it moves you, get started now. You won’t master a new skill in 30 days but you can take that all important first step. It’s never too late!
- Become an expert. Put your researcher hat on and learn one new thing about your profession (or any area you are especially interested in) each day, the history, the trends, the influencers.
- Ban gossip and negative talk. For the entire 30 days of November whenever you catch yourself complaining about anything (or beating yourself up over some misstep) stop immediately and replace the thought with something positive.
- Develop a personal support system. A frequently overlooked trait of highly resilient people is a strong support system. Now would be a great time to begin assessing your needs and building your own list of resources. Challenge yourself to connect with someone new every day. Not everyone will make it to your list, nor should they, but you will benefit from the process of expanding your network of relationships. Just remember, a support system works both ways.
- Eliminate commitments that no longer serve you. Keep in mind that when you free yourself from a commitment you need to be proactive about filling that gap or “life” will fill it for you. So do this purposefully with activities that will enrich your life.
- Do something you’ve been putting off. If you’ve been holding a grudge, forgive the person and free yourself from that baggage. Maybe you long to have just a little time for yourself now and then, so challenge yourself to carve out some quality “me” time and fill it with whatever activity that will contribute to your well-being.
- Pay it forward. There are endless opportunities to share your wisdom and caring through coaching, mentoring, volunteering, writing, speaking, and volunteering and simply through your friendship.
- Stand up to fear. It is human nature to avoid what we fear, even if it keeps us stuck and unhappy. By standing up to our fear we minimize it. So challenge yourself to identify something you’ve been avoiding and face up to it. You’ll be amazed at how liberating that feeling can be!
One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do. ~Henry Ford
- Take inventory of your personal boundaries. It’s pretty easy to identify where a boundary is needed; the tricky part is communicating and managing that new boundary, especially when those near and dear simply refuse to take them seriously.
Fill your mind, body, and soul with experiences that teach and challenge you, and I guarantee it will redefine your limits, and in doing so create a ripple effect that will enrich your life for years to come.
Are you ready to challenge yourself? I’m really looking forward to hearing about your experiences!