Habit Challenge Will Start Again Soon!

The last Habit Challenge was such a success that I am ready to do it again. We will start the next habit challenge a week from tomorrow. It will go from Wednesday, October 22-Tuesday, November 11th.

If you'd like to join us, please let me know in the comments. You will need to prayerfully choose a habit that you commit to doing every day for 21 days. The key is to start small and commit to follow through every day for 21 days. Then, you will have a new, positive habit that will come naturally to you (or at least more naturally than before!)

For more information on choosing a habit, go here.

As before, we will have regular check-ins, but I hopefully (with the help of my hunky techie/husband) will be able to figure a way to do it off-site. so as not to totally clog my blog with Habit Challenge Check-in posts. :-)

I am not sure yet what my habit will be this time, but I know I will also commit to maintaining the habit of going to bed on time. It has made a huge difference in my life in so many ways.

For Layna

Layna, I am so proud of you sticking with this challenge. Spending time with the Lord, in my opinion, is the most important habit anyone can choose to form. You did great!

And now, here is your haiku:

It's a miracle.
A busy college student
Seeks first His kingdom.

For Elly

Elly, I am just so thrilled that you joined us "late" and finished so well. That shows me that you don't look for excuses. You did great!

Here is your haiku:

She made up her mind.
She listened to her body.
Her body says, "Thanks!"

For Tami

Tami, you did so well! Although (like me) you didn't quite make it to 19/21 days, I can tell that you have given it your best and I have enjoyed walking through this challenge with you.

Here's your haiku:

Physical training,
And serving Hubby breakfast,
Both godly habits.

For Missy

Missy, I am so very proud of you! You were the only one of us who finished with a score of 19/21. You were diligent and I am so glad that you now have the blessing of a more orderly home.

Now, a haiku for you!

Tackling a big job
One half hour at a time.
Look what you've done, Girl!

Sleep. I highly Recommend It.

I have been going to bed around 10pm each night, giving myself close to 8 hours of sleep. I can't tell you what a difference this has made in my life!

Before, I would get to bed on an average time of 10:45. I always got up on time faithfully, but for some reason, early rising did not make me go to bed early like I had always heard. Before, I was not as much sleepy as "dragging" all of the time. This also led to feeling overwhelmed easily and snacking more frequently since I would think I needed something to "perk me up." Not to mention my former caffeine addiction. (Okay, to be honest, I still have some addiction, but I drink less than one cup of coffee in a whole day and I don't need it first thing in the morning.)

I can definitely say that I won't have any trouble continuing this habit after the Habit Challenge is over. I feel so much better...it is enough motivation to get to bed on time. Everything is better when you are well-rested! (And you DO get more done!)

Habit Challenge, Day 10!

How's it going?

I was in bed on time last night, but not the night before since we got to San Antonio late!

Habit Challenge Starts Tomorrow!

Okay, Bird, Debs, Layna, Missy, Tami and...Me! Habit Challenge starts tomorrow! I will do my very best to have a check-in post every day and I encourage you to pop in and let us know that you are on track. Just a word of encouragement: think how great you will feel once you have completed the challenge! Don't give up. Persevere and make this a priority.

Let's go!

Have Your Weapons Ready!

Here is an exercise that some of us in the book discussion participated in and I have found it to be a big help. We focused particularly on food-related issues, but it could be applied to any area where you are consistently tempted and need a quick "reality check." If you have these scriptures already "ready" in your mind and even on cards, then when temptation comes, you have an immediate weapon to use against the devil when He tempts you to believe lies. Similar to the way Jesus combated satan in Matthew 4.

Below is the discussion question and my answer in bold:

List the three main times or situations where you are tempted to overeat. Some examples are: stress, anger, greed and depression. Next to each tempting situation (or "trigger,") give a Bible verse that you can memorize and call to mind to help you to resist the devil. (See page 67.)

worried: Psalm 94:19, Proverbs 12:25
tired: Matthew 11:28-30, Isaiah 40:31
food-related gathering...feeling "entitled" or like I should eat since "everyone else is:" Proverbs 3:5-6, Proverbs 3:7-8

Depressed: didn't get to this one...but I'm hoping someone else does this one. :-)

And if you are interested in starting some scripture memory as part of the Habit Challenge coming up, this might be a good place to start. An example of a small measurable habit to form over a 21 day period might be to choose three scriptures to write on index cards. Choose one scripture each week to read, say, 3-5 times per day. Hopefully by the end of the week you would have it memorized. The next week do another and so on.

Habit Challenge Time.

Well, it's been a while, but I need another habit challenge. I have fallen back to my old ways of staying up too late while still waking up early. I feel so sluggish! My new habit? Be in bed by 9:45. Lights out by 10:00.

Do you have a new habit you'd like to form? They say it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. so let's do it together! The challenge will begin Wednesday and go through Tuesday, October 7th. Here are the rules:

1. Your habit must be measurable. For example, "I will get dressed before 12:00 each day." :-) Not, "I will try to get dressed earlier in the day."
2. Your habit must be a small step forward from where you currently are. If you don't currently read the Bible on a regular basis and want to form the habit of reading daily, your habit might be, "I will read at least one chapter or 10 minutes every day." Not , "I will read 5 chapters a day."
3. You must commit to "doing" your habit EVERY DAY. That is the only way this will (hopefully) become a habit. If there are exceptions, name them up front. For example, my commitment to going to bed by 9:45 will not apply to Friday nights.
4. Is it too much to ask that you check in every day to let us know how you are doing? At least check in a couple of times a week. If you would like to check in daily, let me know in the comments and I will post a check-in post every day. I could use the accountability!

If you need some ideas, habits can deal with:
*sleep habits
*time with God/in the Word
*eating habits (One of my past habits was to sit down while eating.)
*relationships (Encouraging your spouse daily would be an example.)
*exercise
*cleaning/de-cluttering your home

I have to admit I am a little scared. I am not completely confident I can do this, but I have to try. I have been dragging the past couple of weeks and I think lack of sleep is the culprit.

Oh, and I have a prize this time! If you successfully "do" your habit for at least 19/21 days, I will write a haiku about you! (Hey, that rhymed!) Yes, can you tell I am sleep-deprived? ;-)

21 Days Are Up!

So, thus ends our second 21 Day Habit Challenge. Did anyone stick around to the bitter end? Give me your thoughts, people!

I was able to go to bed on time within 5 minutes of 10:00 every night except a handful...and most of those were unavoidable because of traveling. However, I don't know if it qualifies as a habit for me. Probably because I took weekends off. But I am really glad I did it and I do feel a bit more refreshed! :-)

Habit Challengers Check In Here!

We are 14 days in to our second habit challenge. How's everyone doing?
Debbie--How's the time with God going?
Missy--Any more success with going to bed (and to sleep) earlier?
Cristina--Keeping to the snack time boundaries?
Bird--Going over your verses every day?

Me? This challenge has been challenging :-), but very good! I have made it to bed within 5 minutes of 10:00 each night except when we've been out of town or on a day when we had just driven back to town.

Keep persevering! If you've fallen off, get back on! 7 days to go!!!!

Habit Challengers Check In Here!

It's been one week into our new 21 day challenge. How is everyone doing?

Me? I have had some challenges, being out of town and all, but have been in bed on time when possible and I think it's helping. I have not been so good at maintaining my previous challenge of sitting down to eat. I am changing that, however, because I don't want to form good habits just to lose them!

Here They Are!

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. I Corinthians 15:58

Pray for the 21 Day Habit Challenge participants:

Debbie--15 minutes alone with God each day
Missy--go to bed on time each night
Cristina--no eating after 8:30pm each night (except Tuesdays)
Bird--practice scripture memorization some each day
Brandi--be in bed by 10:00 each night except Friday and Saturday

I'll be praying for you all. Let me know how it goes!

Habit Challenge Begins TODAY!

Tonight, I will go to bed on time! Every night I stay up past my bed time and every day I am tired. I have actually been looking forward to this challenge, because I know I am so weak in this area that I need the accountability. I am looking forward to feeling more refreshed each day.

Missy is joining me in agreeing to go to bed on time each night for the next 21 nights and Debbie will spend at least 15 minutes per day alone with the Lord for the challenge. I am thrilled to have some friends to walk through this challenge with!

Anyone is welcome to join us! If you would like to form a new godly habit, then let me know in the comments. (First, go to the previous post titled "21 Day Habit Challenge Starts Up Again On Wednesday!!" for some tips on choosing a habit to form.) I will make a list of the official participants later on so we can all be praying for each other. If you have time, leave a comment to let me know how it's going for you. I will do the same.

As always, there is a prize! One newly formed habit that will bring more discipline and peace into your life! :-)

21 Day Habit Challenge Starts Up Again On Wednesday!!

It's time for me to form a new habit. Who'd like to join me? They say it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. In the first Habit Challenge, I chose to form the habit of sitting down to eat without doing anything else. It worked! It is now a habit. A habit that I have to be diligent to maintain, but a habit nonetheless.

This time, my habit is going to be a greater challenge, but it is a necessary one. I need to get to bed at a decent time. I'm really good about getting up, but I tend to always have "one more thing" to do before bed and it all adds up. I routinely get less than 7 hours of sleep each night and that's just not enough for me.

So, this is my goal. To be in bed by 10:00 each night except Friday and Saturday. Please pray for me, because this is a huge change for me.

The challenge starts Wednesday, so let me know in the comments if you are going to join me.

A few suggestions about forming new habits:

1. Start where you are and gradually build up. Shoot for lasting change rather than radical change. For example, if you currently don't read the Bible daily, start with a goal to read one or two chapters per day rather than five or ten.

2. Make your goal measurable. Rather than having a goal to exercise more, set a goal to exercise 30 minutes 3 times per week.

3. Most important: Pray first. Don't lean on your own understanding. Be sure the Lord is leading you to form this new habit so that you don't waste your time! Also, when the going gets tough, you will have assurance that He will give grace to accomplish this goal since you will be assured that it's His will for you.

Exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things. Having promise of the life which now is and of that which is to come. 1 Timothy 4:7-8

Habit Challenge Completed!!!

(Sorry this is a day late!)
21 days are up! How did it go for you?

Thanks to all of you who participated. My habit of sitting down to eat has been a huge blessing and I can say it is officially a habit! Seriously...I actually prefer to sit down to eat and will often wait a while to eat so I can eat sitting down without interruption.

In this busy season of life, forming habits (one tiny habit at a time), is a big help for me, so I plan to do more of these challenges. The next one will likely start soon so stay tuned! :-)

21 Day Habit Challenge Week Two Check In...Are You Still With Us?

Okay, y'all! It's been 14 days. Who out there is still sticking with the 21 day habit challenge? Approximately how many days out of 14 have you been successful? How are you going to make this last week really count? Is this habit going to continue past 21 days? Why or why not?

And, let me add: if you but off more than you could chew...meaning if your challenge was too challenging to begin with, then feel free to modify it.

My habit of sitting down to eat without doing anything else has been much harder than I thought it would be. But I would say that I have stuck with it 13 out of 14 days. Since I eat more than once a day, it's hard to calculate. Most of the time it has had to be an act of my will...not natural.

I do plan to keep this habit up. It is very helpful for me to prevent mindless eating and to actually see how much I am eating so I don't overdo it.

21 Day Habit Challenge Week One Check In...Let's Have It!

So, comment and let us know how the habits have been (or not been) forming. Be real...be honest. Is this helping? Why or why not?

Here is the list of those of us forming new habits...pick someone to pray for:

Missy--sit down to eat dinner each night until everyone is finished.
Kellie--exercise 4 times per week.
Bird--memorize 2 scriptures per week
Maryfran--take vitamins every day.
Milly--not speak ill of anyone.
Dani--Check each day to be sure the kids have done their chores correctly
Julie--read a chapter per day in the Bible
Debs--record everything she eats in a food diary
Brandi--Sit down to eat without doing anything else at the same time.

I will go first. :-)

Stopping everything and sitting down to eat has been very good for me. First it pretty much eliminates mindless eating and it helps me to have more time to think, "Am I really hungry?" Instead of just putting something in my mouth because I want to or because it's "time to." It also eliminates the bad habit of just eating without having put food on a plate first like at a party. I totally goofed last night and did that at the refreshment time after Life Group. Woops!

I have done really well for the most part, but I still am tempted to eat snacks without sitting down or sit in front of the computer with my snack. I am going to make myself sit either at the table or the sofa.

How are all of your habits forming? How can we help?

21-Day Habit Challenge Day 3 Check In: We're All In This Together!

Happy Friday, everyone!

I wanted to post yesterday, but it was one of those days that turned into one of those nights where you can barely muster up the strength to turn on he dishwasher before crawling into bed...

So, here's the official list of people taking part in the 21 day challenge to form a new habit:

Missy--sit down to eat dinner each night until everyone is finished.
Kellie--exercise 4 times per week.
Bird--memorize 2 scriptures per week (which verses are you memorizing this week?)
Maryfran--take vitamins every day.
Milly--not speak ill of anyone. (Did I get that right, Milly?)
Dani--Check each day to be sure the kids have done their chores correctly
Julie--read a chapter per day in the Bible
Brandi--Sit down to eat without doing anything else at the same time.
If you are taking part in the challenge and are not on this list, please say so in the comments and I will be happy to add you. :-)

Please take a moment to choose someone to pray for. Okay, now let us know how it's going so far.

I will start. I did well Wednesday and most of yesterday, but then I actually forgot the first part of my goal. So I ate snacks while standing up. And I also ate while at the computer a couple of times, but by His grace I stopped. It is taking some getting used to, but this is really good for me.

I am looking forward to hearing from you all!