I'm Back!

April was sort of a write off for me. My attention was focused on some family matters and I kind of let my challenges slide for the most part. I did, however, manage to stick with the paleo challenge for the full 30 days, without a single slip! I owe much of the success on this one to the fact that my boyfriend did it with me. So, Rob, thank you!

Essentially, we observed the rules no grains, no dairy, no alcohol, no sugar added. As you can imagine, it was gruelling, particularly over the Easter weekend. The most difficult part was the tremendous effort required to prepare and coordinate meals and snacks in advance, so there was no temptation to cheat. We even managed to hit a pub night with friends and stick to sparkling water! If you want more information about the paleo diet/lifestyle, there are lots of websites out there. The book Paleo Comfort Foods was like my bible for the month. Now that the 30 days are over, I think we’re going to stick with it (for the most part) with some cheat opportunities here and there.

I’m ready for a fresh start today with a new 30-day period. Here’s a run-down of my challenges for May:

• Cold Showers – Yep, I’m going back to it! I remember how good I always felt emerging from the cold showers and the benefit to my skin. I’ve been seeking the comfort of hot showers lately, so I’m putting the cold water challenge back on the list. 
• Talking to strangers – Same as above, I remember the benefits I experienced with this challenge. As a person who tends to hermit when stressed out, forcing myself to find something nice to say to a stranger will help keep me out of my mind's hermit hole. 
• Affirmations and Visualization – I plan to spend 10 minutes each morning repeating certain affirmations and visualizing either a positive end to my day, what I see myself doing in the future, or a change I hope to achieve in the short-term. 
• What Went Well – This is an exercise a few friends have already tried, writing down, each evening, three things that went well that day. 
• Photo Each Day – I heard about a great app for this called Project 365. The idea is to take a picture every day for a year and the app prompts you at a particular time each day to snap a shot, no matter where you are or what you’re doing. I'm not sure if I'll stick with it for the full year, but I'll try it for 30 days. 

I’m really looking forward to the opportunities and experiences this new month will bring. I feel confident about my challenges and I feel well-placed to meet them.

Now, who’s with me?