Wildcard: Week 11

How is it going with the no sugar?  I am finding it easier to refrain, even when watching the donuts being made in Krispy Kreme with my children.  What I like most about it is feeling like the master over my tastebuds and eating habits again.  Continuing this week with no sugar, you may earn 8 points each day.  If you wish to take a treat day this week leave a comment telling us your favorite quote.

For the wildcard this week you will be required to spend at least 15 minutes each day enjoying and appreciating the great outdoors.  This means deliberately going outside to breathe deep, look around, and notice things you usually don't see.  Notice the beauty around you and see how it affects you.  Looking back on your day and realizing that you were outside for 10 minutes does not count.  I'm looking for a very puprposeful trip out of doors!

Have a wonderful week.  Thank you for staying with me this far and please if you have suggestions about how I can be doing a better job of leading this please let me know! 

E

Wildcard: Week 10

We are in the home stretch!
For week ten your challenge {should you choose to accept it}  Is NO MURMERING.  No complaining or whining.
One of the greatest {and most difficult} lessons I continue to re-learn in my life is that happiness is a choice.  This week think about choosing happiness by not complaining about the circumstances or challenges we find ourselves in.  I know this will be tough for me but I also know it will bring blessings.
Remember also that the no sugar challenge continues this week, giving you a possible of 8 points to earn per day.  If you choose to take a treat day this week then comment here telling us something that you do to choose happiness.
Choose Happiness, and have a great week!
E

Week 9: Wildcard

Here goes:

For the wildcard this week you will be required to eat NO REFINED SUGAR.  I know, it's a big one, but it will be good for all of us!  By no sugar I mean:  no sweets, no treats, no candy, no baked goods.  If you usually have brown sugar on your oatmeal use honey instead.  If you usually use hot cocoa mix try it instead with a little cream in your water and some fat free sugar free chocolate syrup.  You get the idea.  This is a daily thing so if you slip up one day just try again the next!
As an option this week you may take one day where rather than no sugar you have one serving size of a treat instead.  Should you chose to do that you need to also post here and tell us your best health tip -- anything that you think may help someone else! This option is for one day only this week, then the other six days would be without sugar.  Does that make sense?  If you have questions please let me know.
ALSO
this wild card will continue to run for the duration of the challenge.  This means that for week 10, 11 and 12 there will be 8 points per day rather than 7.  For those upcoming three weeks I will post another wildcard AND this will continue to run as well.

GIVEAWAY:
I will do a random drawing at the end of the week for anyone who posts their points for all seven days. It will be a gift card to a restaurant.  So make sure you log your points and eat those fruits and veggies!
Thanks for sticking with me this far and have a wonderful week !
Emily

Week 8: Wildcard

Hello!
For this week's wildcard you will need to give a gift every day this week.  What do I mean?  Well I am currently reading the book 29 Gifts and if you want to read more about it you can go to the website HERE as well.
The idea is that you give something each day with an open heart in order to change the energy around you and make the world a better place.  You may want to write in your gratitude journal about what you gave and how it made you feel.  You may even want to continue after the first week and go ahead and do the 29 day challenge.
Your gifts can be anything given to anyone ... they do not need to be material but should be given with an open heart without an expectation of receiving.
Need Ideas?
money, food, smiles, your time, kind words, a note, a service, love, running an errand for someone, sharing part of you, teaching something you know, giving a gift to yourself.

If you have other ideas of gifts you can give please comment and share, as well as please tell us your experiences.  Have a great week !
Emily

Week 7: Wildcard

How is everyone doing?  I hope we can all pull together and help each other through this second half.  Do me a favor, if you personally know anyone who we haven't heard from on the blog lately or hasn't put points up check in with them.  I don't mean ask them why they aren't putting points up -- I just mean see how they are doing.  No big deal, just a thought.

This week's wildcard is working on better sleep habits.  SO.... In order to receive your point each day this week you need to be in bed (and on your way to sleep) by 10 pm.  That doesn't  mean in bed at ten and then awake until 11.  The idea is to actually get to sleep by 10.

After this week the wildcards are going to get tougher and I'm going to be asking a lot of you.  There will also be more prizes so stay tuned.

Thanks for sticking with me this far.
Have a great week!

** This post edited to include: **
For one night this week you may choose to go out or stay up late.  Rather than be in bed by 10pm that night you may post a comment here and tell us 1. what your favorite movie is and 2.  what you like to do for a late night up.

Emily

Week 6: Wildcard

We are approaching the half way point!
This week the wildcard is :
Drink 8 glasses {8 oz each} of water each day.  In addition, on one day this week I would like you to post a comment below.  So for one day this week in order to get your wild card point you will need to post a comment and drink your water.
Please answer this question:
Have your learned anything thus far in the challenge, and if so what have you learned?

Have a great week!
E

Wildcard: Week Five

Whew!
I don't know about you but for some reason this past week four felt pretty heavy.  January ran away with me and I need to get my feet back under me for the upcoming months.
So...
This week is all about SLOWING down.  For the wildcard this week spend at least 15 minutes each day sitting quietly -- meditating, pondering, rejuvenating -- call it what you want.  The idea is that you spend that 15 minutes in solitude (or sitting in a chair by myself while children play at the park, or however you can make it work).  Feel your body, breathe deep, wiggle your fingers and toes.  Be present in that moment and then think about how you feel about how you are doing personally.  Is your emotional tank full?  What can you do to take care of yourself so that you are fully able to give to those that rely on you?  How can you improve in the areas of your life that matter most to you?  What things are there in your life that are taking time or energy which you do not feel are very important that could possibly drop out of your life and stop taking your strength?  There are a thousand questions you could ask yourself.
Life Uncommon is one of my favorite songs that I like to listen to which help me to slow down and  get myself ready to think.
When I'm feeling overwhelmed and worried I love to hear  Lullaby For Stormy Night.
This version of  Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing is something I like to hear daily.   I love it.
And if you can handle one more, Amazing Grace is always uplifting for me.

As an optional post this week, if you have a song or songs that help you to slow down and feel grounded I would love to hear what they are.  Totally optional;  if you would rather post one day instead of doing your 15 minutes of slow down time that's great.  If not, just do your 15 minutes each day for the week and enjoy it.

Have a super week.
E