Episode 34- 7 New Year "Change Your Life" Challenges
The New Year is always a time for people to set big goals and resolutions for the year ahead. While most people end up giving in on their goals, I wanted to share a few time-based challenges you can implement to change your life.
As a fitness coach, I am not following the 75 Hard challenge created by Andy Frisella but I love the idea of incorporating more movement, water, and outside time into our daily routines.
Whether you're looking to purge all of your useless items and create a more minimalist home with a declutter challenge, or spend less time on your phone this year, this episode has something for you!
You can find the Gratitude journal I reference in episode here.
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I am finding. A lot of humor in the things I thought were going to happen and then having already lived that time. I'm like, that didn't turn out at all the way I thought it would. This is To The Nines Podcast. I am your host, Tiffany Wicks, a mom of seven who doesn't subscribe to the idea that you have to choose between your family and a career.
I am on a mission to show the stay at home mom who has lost herself in childcare and Cochamelan. And the overworked corporate holdout who isn't finding joy and purpose in their career that they can work for themselves, making an impact in an income that serves your dream life. After leaving my nursing career to raise our family, I needed more mental stimulation, but didn't want to give up the privilege of raising our legacy.
I've been in network marketing now for five years. I know the strategy and mindset it takes to be successful and to live a life aligned with your values and your purpose. Join me as I share my business tips, marketing mistakes, attitude shifts. You need to space out some time for you or ditch your nine to five completely and start working for yourself.
You have the power to change your life. Let's get started. This is just the beginning.
Welcome back to the podcast. I am Tiffany Wicks, your host, and let me tell you, I have recently been listening to just. The first five minutes or so of previous episodes mostly because I'm like, what was it that I talked about? Sometimes I batch record so that'll be recording two or three episodes at a time or within a day or two of each other Um, and then that gives myself and my assistant Maggie a break Um so that we're just not like constantly, you know every week having to do the same thing Just get it all done at once and move on.
Anyhow, I am finding A lot of humor in the things I thought were going to happen and then having already lived that time I'm like that didn't turn out at all the way I thought it would So the first example of that would be my anniversary slash my oldest son's birthday that was on the 17th of December and you may notice I sound a little nasally because apparently this time of year every year I Get sick and I get a cold and you know, I'm still working through this sinus infection I think we're at the end of it But nonetheless, my episode two ago was like, I'm going to put on my wedding dress and dance around the living room and go out to dinner, yet none of that happened.
We were on the couch dueling fevers between Adam and I, and like the kids were sick and then the baby got sick. So it's been. Gosh, going on three weeks now, um, we're all pretty much getting back to normal. Adam went back to work today. Um, I'm feeling a lot better. I'm back to working out again. The baby's still coughing, but I mean, he's on the mend.
It was just awful. I don't know where this virus came from, but it could go right back to hell. Um, because I'm pretty sure that was his origin. Anyhow, new year, new you, huh? Yeah, that's the saying. Not everybody wants to have a new me or a new anything. That's fine. I get it. Um, I am a certified health and wellness coach as well as an online business builder and marketer.
So there's always a new goal that I'm striving for or helping other people reach new goals, right? Either with their fitness and their health or making money. Like I always have a goal and there's always a challenge that I want to overcome. It's just the nature of who I am. So I am going to share with you seven new year challenges.
in 2024 that can help revolutionize your life if you allow it. Now, let's say this all ahead of time. Do not do all seven at once. That will be incredibly overwhelming and probably won't be much fun to implement. Um, but you do want to commit to one fully, have fun with it, get the habit encoded into your life, make it part of your new habit pattern, and then try another one.
Like, 12 months is a decent amount of time, right? So, here we go. All right, so the first one is going to be a 21 day no complaint experiment. Okay, first off, I really have to tell you that one of the character qualities in people that I absolutely despise is Complaining. Lying and stealing. So those three things will get you turned off in my life quicker than anything.
Um, so anyway, that's a huge thing we coach on in our home is not complaining. Because truly, complaining about something never solved a problem. Ever. Like, in the history of mankind. So, there's a difference. between complaining about a thing and then talking about it, feeling the emotions, working through it, letting it get out of your body.
Through whatever, you know, means, like frustration, like crying, working out, um, pounding your fist and then you let it flow through you and then you're done with it, right? But continually complaining about something drives me absolutely bananas because it doesn't solve the problem. And it only serves to help fuel this negativity that you've got inside of you.
This was popularized by Tim Ferriss and Will Bowen. Um, and the challenge is. Don't complain, don't criticize, and don't gossip for 21 consecutive days. So anytime you slip, you've got to start over again. So, um, you know, what, what's a great example, like, you know, kids are such an easy example because they're still learning, right?
How to exist in the world, how to shape their mindset, but it's our job as parents to help shape them. So, if it's a kid you're talking about and they're complaining about their school work, then hey. Why, why complain over it? First off, figure out what the problem is. Second, figure out what are a list of possible solutions, because there's probably more than one way to solve whatever the problem is.
And then three, just execute on the plan. That's it. There's no need to complain about it. Complaining never solves problems. So, 21 day, no complaint, no criticizing, and no gossiping. The next one would be a 30 day minimalism. Okay, so here's what you do is you get rid of one item on the first day, two on the second day, and then so on and so forth.
So what that will lead to inevitably is that you will declutter and then simplify your life. When I look around my own house, I am constantly getting rid of things and, you know, usually it's like silly things that the kids get from some activity or, you know, party goody bags. Yes, I let them play with it for like a day and then it's going in the trash.
I am the queen of decluttering yet somehow. Somehow my life is still cluttered, and I say that with sort of a grin because I have seven kids. So even if we were the most minimalistic in the world, that's still a lot of stuff because there's just a lot of humans in this house. So, clearly, you know, shape this to whatever that looks like for you, but I mean, look around.
And the people, you guys, I have seen this online so many times. I'm gonna turn my hanger around, and then if it's still turned around after 12 months, I'll get rid of the item. Y'all, I don't even have that many clothes to be turning hangers around. Like, I am using every single thing I have, um, and I'm blown away.
I mean, I would love to have more clothes, but I have a shopping problem. I don't know if you know this about me. It's not like a problem, like I can't stop doing it, it's a problem like I don't do it. So, I have very few clothes, and it's really an issue. So whenever I order something, I'm like, nope, don't like it, I don't like the fabric, I don't like the fit, I'm not sure that the style is right for me, and then I send it back.
It annoys Adam so much. And I don't know what is wrong with me, I feel like I really do need a personal shopper. And I know there are services that do that. We are totally off the beaten path here, but if you can identify with that, I would love to hear from you on Instagram because this is a major issue for me where like to know like that app where all the influencers put all their stuff on there.
That is my saving grace right now because I will like, Oh, that looks good on you. Maybe it will look good on me. And then I'll order it. And then, you know, decide inevitably that it doesn't and then send it back. But I have kept a few things. So it's working for me. If you don't know about that app, it's called LTK, like to know, and anyway, cool stuff on there.
Moving on. The next one is 75 Hard. All right. I love this challenge because everybody thinks it is a fitness challenge, but it's not. It is a mental toughness challenge. All right. It was invented by One of the dudes I love to listen to is Andy Frazella. So he is a Entrepreneur he has come from tons of struggle.
He works really hard. He's got an awesome podcast I mean it is foul mouthed. So if you're not into that and it gets your feathers all ruffled then You know, maybe bypass it, you know f bomb every third word doesn't bother me Uh, but that's basically but he's got a lot of really great stuff to talk about But here it is it involves being on a strict diet of some sort and when I say diet I really mean nutrition plan.
All right drinking a gallon of water daily Reading 10 pages of a nonfiction book or self help book and then taking a progress picture and then doing two 45 minute workouts every day and one has to be outside I know it sounds like a fitness challenge and you will for sure get fit by doing this But really it's the mental toughness because it's not about the workout.
It's not about the water It's about committing to something and then seeing it through for What is that, like, two and a half, almost three months. I would love to do this. And I'm thinking getting a group of people would be a fun way to do it. So, anyhow, oh, and you can't drink alcohol either, and you can't have treats.
That's a little, that's another little caveat. No alcohol, no treats. Get on a nutrition plan. So, the plan that I have is a Whole Foods plan. Um, being a health and wellness coach, we have a Whole Foods plan. Yes, we talk about drinking water, 100 ounces, um, however, clearly you can increase that. Um, reading 10 pages, so I read on Audible, um, I have to have an audiobook because I just do not have the time, nor do I want to carve out the time, um, to sit down with a book in my hand and read because I would just get interrupted every two minutes.
Like, if you're a mom and you have a bunch of kids, you know how that goes. Um, anyway, but I'm reading every single day and progress picture, easy peasy, you know, the 45 minute workouts, the app that we have, you can definitely push that out to a 45 minute workout, um, through the programmed app and then just go out on a walk with your kids for the other one for the other 45 or go skiing or snowboarding or whatever activity you've got.
That's outdoors bicycling. I mean, 45 minute bicycle with your family. Easy. Listen, this is an awesome challenge, and if you want to do this with me, I need you to DM me, and we will get something started in February, because I think it's dope, and I want to be part of it, because I love mental toughness stuff.
All right, so tech free Saturdays is another challenge that you can start instituting. Uh, so it's just taking a screen sabbatical, like one day a week. All right. Avoid using digital devices. The goal is to reduce your amount of screen time. Unplug from this constant influx of digital information and overwhelm, and then reconnect with the physical world around you to include the people that are physically within your sphere.
Okay. This is, I see this often where parents are staring down at their phones and their kids are talking to them and they're not paying attention. Or, you know, in my business world, you know, you've got marketers that feel like they've got to be online checking notifications all the time because well, what if somebody wants one of my offers?
I have to be right there. And I get it, man. There is a lot of value in speed and responding people, um, because your customers have like a 30 second attention span. And there is an Amazon world. They want it delivered right now as soon as they're interested and they're not willing to wait for it. So you might lose a sale.
Okay. But you might lose a really valuable relationship too. As long as you set the boundary with your customers, with your following, and like Sunday, Saturday, whatever day that needs to be, like, I'm offline, okay? I will get back with you early Monday morning. We will do the thing. So that is, I try to do Sundays because it's a rest day from working out.
It's a rest day in terms of, you know, my, my faith practice. And it gives me one full day where I don't feel like I need to be checking my DMS or working on offers or anything like that. So it's a great day for me. I choose Sunday, but you can choose any day of the week to just unplug, put the phone down and move on.
Also, I've said this before, but I don't have notifications on my phone. I know that might be surprising because I do work in a digital world and I have multiple businesses that I balance, but I don't have notifications via Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn coming up on my phone because I don't want to be distracted.
And I know it will, if it's like ding, ding, ding. And I'll feel like this desire to continue working when I really need to be focusing in on other things. So when I do work and I'm in my phone, it's intentional. All right. How about I talked about debt free, I've talked about making more money, all the things.
So what if you tried a 52 week money challenge? And it's a savings challenge. All right? So where you can like eliminate the buy now button on Amazon , which is probably sucking the financial life right outta you. Um, so it's a savings challenge where the first week you put a dollar away, then $2 in the second week, and then so on and so forth.
If you do this by the end of the year, you will have saved $1,378. All right. If you have the means and the motivation, you can double that challenge by starting with $2 in the first week and then $4 a second week, and six and the third, and so on and so forth until you add $104 in week 52. So you will save 2,756 bucks.
What could you do with a thousand plus dollars? That you can't do now. I mean, vacation, fitness equipment. I'm talking about me now. Buying better groceries. Like, not boxed junk that's full of cancer causing ingredients, Whole Foods, buying organic. I mean, these are the things that I value most, so those are what are coming to my head.
Um, and really, like, gosh, taking a weekend away somewhere would be incredible. Take your kids to the Great Wolf Lodge. I mean, just memories can be made, and flexibility can be easy when you have more money. It's just, it's just the truth. So if you have a problem saving money, this might, this one might be perfect for you.
And then you can combine that with the no complaint challenge so that you don't have to complain about the money that you're saving because it is all for your benefit at the end of the day. Right? So another one is a three day phone charger challenge. Okay. So here it is. Move your phone outside of your bedroom and don't check it first thing in the morning.
Alright? It has cascading benefits. Alright? So your phone's alarm will be outside of your bedroom, right? So it will make you jump up to actually go turn it off and You won't be hitting the snooze button. You can easily reclaim like 10 minutes of your day, which is 60 plus hours a year. What could you do with 60 extra hours per year that you spend pushing the snooze button and not wanting to get out of bed?
Alright, so the, the, the phone charger thing, I mean, really, you ought to do that anyway because of the amount of, like, electrical rays that are bouncing around, like, you don't want that right by your freakin head. So move it away from your head, move it outside of your bedroom if you can, or at least across the room, minimally, and then when that thing goes off, it's like, three, two, one, go.
Get up. Push the button, turn it off, and then don't go back to bed. I know it's alluring. I know you want to. Just choose not to. It's a choice, okay? Not a feeling. If you acted on your feelings all the time, you would be a toddler, right? Because that's what toddlers do. And then we as parents teach them how to not act on their feelings all the time, but how to use logic and reasoning and all the other things that come into creating, you know, a dignified adult that's a contributing member of society.
So, daily journaling is another thing you can start instituting, and I really think you can do this one alongside a lot of other ones. You guys, I have a journal, and I just get, I get out of that habit pattern, and then I just quit doing it. And I really, I loved it, because it really allows me to take everything out of my head.
Put it on the paper, put my goals right there on paper, and then practice intentional gratitude twice a day. And truly, that is huge. I've talked about gratitude so often, but that is gigantic for your mindset and for your personal, physical, health, growth, all of it. I can share which journal that I have.
It's like a five minute journal. I'll put the link in the show notes for you. I love it. However, there are a thousand people making journals. Pick any of them or I mean, just get a composition book from Dollar Tree or something and write your thoughts on there. I mean, really it's just to get you out of your own dang head and start putting things on paper.
What were you grateful for today? What did you learn today? Um, what are things that went right? What are things that didn't go so right? And then always end it on a positive note and then you will become a more positive person. So declutter your thinking, generate creative ideas, and the world and all of it's cosmic.
You know, forces will start aligning for your benefit. Like, I truly, truly believe that. So, we've got starting backward and going to what I said first. First off, you've got journaling. Anything will do. Just get something going. Daily. Twice a day if you can. The moving your phone out of your bedroom challenge.
Okay? Get it out of there so that it doesn't distract you. The next one is the 52 week money challenge. That's a lot of weeks. You can do it. All right. 52 week money challenge. Start doing that. All right. And then tell me, I would love to hear what in the world you would do with that money if you were able to save it.
And listen, again, if you don't have the money to like legit, you don't have it in your bank account. Then you need to make more money. I can help you. There's hundreds of ways you can make money online or with your physical person You need to make more money if you don't have that to do All right. Next one is tech free day pick a day any day any of them will work I choose sunday next one is 75 hard.
Yes mental toughness Um, can you do it? Will you do it? Yes, you can is the answer but will you well that remains to be seen and a 30 day minimalism Challenge, or game, or whatever. So, find something in your house, day one. Find two things in your house, three things, four things. Until, after one month, you've gotten rid of a lot of stuff kicking around that you don't actually want.
Alright, and the last, which is actually the first that I talked about, is the 21 day no complaint experiment. You can't criticize, you can't gossip, and you can't complain for 21 days. And, I mean, if you have to say something, here, I will say this. If the weather is terrible, then it is terrible. It doesn't mean that you have a negative mindset over it, but you can end it on a positive note.
The weather is horrible outside, but I'm hopeful that the forecast says it's going to improve in the next few days. Okay, my kid has the worst attitude right now, but we're teaching him to have a more positive attitude and I know that smile will come back soon. I am so hungry right now and there is nothing in my house to eat.
But I'm grateful that I have a few extra dollars and I can go pick up an apple and some almonds. I mean, whatever. My point is, find a positive end to any particular complaint that you have. And then add that on to the end of it and you will notice that you will become a more positive person. All right, that is all I've got for you.
If you are going to do any one of these seven challenges, I really want to know about it. So DM me on Facebook. Um, you can email the podcast. I don't check it very often. So your best bet is DMing on Instagram or Facebook. I would love to hear from you. If this helps you and you're excited about any one of these challenges, be sure you share this episode on any social media platform that we are on.
Tag me and I would love to support you in that. All right. Ciao for now guys.