I cannot believe we are only 3 months away from 2020! Is it me or does it feel like it’s only like, April?! I don’t know where the time has gone but here we are…only 93 days until the new year! Today I am going to be sharing a practical way for you to get a jump start on your 2020 goals with the Last 90 Days Challenge.
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LAST 90 DAYS CHALLENGE
WHAT
The Last 90 Days Challenge is a program created by Rachel Hollis. The idea of Last 90 Days is to be as intentional with the last 3 months of the year as you typically are at the start of the new year.
Usually, we get to the end of the year and we start talking about our plans for the new year. “In January, I’m going to work on my diet. In January, I am going to start exercising.” Since we aren’t starting until January, we use the last few months of the year to really live it up and eat the treats and drink the alcohol and not rest because we’ll start taking care of ourselves in January. Right?
Well, the Last 90 Days says let’s start treating our body well right now so that when January 2020 rolls along, we are already in a really good place mentally and physically. We will start the year with a clear mind and strong body instead of starting the year feeling tired and foggy. We will start the year ready to take on the big goals we set for ourselves because we have already gotten a jump start on our health.
HOW:
I am a big fan of setting goals. I like to set goals for myself personally, for my business, for my marriage and family. Figuring out what you want your life to look like is important. Doing the work and writing out your goals is also important. But having a plan in place to crush those goals is key! Goals are great and super motivational but without a plan they really mean nothing. For me, I like a practical, checklist type plan. I really thrive with a to-do list and a pen.
In the Last 90 Days challenge, there are 5 things you will do every single day to help you end the year strong and reach those goals. They are called Five to Thrive.
Five to Thrive:
- Wake up an hour earlier than you normally do. What you do with this time will look different for everyone depending on your personal goals. Whatever you do with this time, use it for yourself. One of my goals I work towards every single day is “I am an amazing mom.” So I use this time to write in my journal and drink my coffee in peace. Remember when I told you about the quote “wake up for your kids, not to your kids”? Waking up an hour before my kids gives me time to myself in the morning. When I have that time, I am ready for my kids when they wake up. I am ready for the crazy energy they have at 6 am. I am ready to answer their really strange questions and I am much more patient. They deserve that mom. And I like that mom better, too.
- Drink half your body weight in water. Take your weight and divide it by 2. Drink at least that many ounces of water a day. Drinking water is crazy important for our bodies. You can google the reasons why but I doubt any of us need to do that. We know it’s important so commit to drinking enough water daily.
- Move your body for 30 minutes. Get in 30 minutes of exercise each day. This is always the most challenging for me because I don’t work out. But there is no reason for me to not do it. Just like our bodies need water, our bodies need to be active. Walk, run, play with the kids outside or go to the gym. Whatever you do, just move your body for at least 30 minutes each day.
- Practice gratitude. Every single day write down 10 things you are thankful for. If you have a Start Today journal, write in that. If not, get a simple notebook and write down 10 things you are grateful for. They don’t have to be super grand things. It can be as simple as the beautiful weather or your warm shower. The idea is to be looking for things to be grateful for all day long. If you look for things to be grateful for, you’ll find them. Listen to this podcast episode for more information on this practice and how it will change your life.
- Give up one type of food you know you shouldn’t eat. This will also be different for everyone based on your goals. Last year when I did this I gave up Starbucks coffee. Not coffee altogether. I gave up ordering coffee from Starbucks. It was easy to give this up when I finally admitted to myself how much time I was wasting each morning rushing to Starbucks to get my coffee before taking the kids to school. I also acknowledged how much money I was wasting, too. At almost $6 a day (more if I was getting breakfast or ordering something for the kids) 5-6 days a week, I was spending a lot of money at Starbucks. And, I knew that even though the delicious cinnamon dolce latte I was ordering was made with almond milk and no whip cream, it was still unhealthy. Paying for Starbucks coffee every single morning was not getting me closer to any of my health or financial goals. So, I made the commitment to only drink coffee from home. Starting in October last year, I successfully gave up Starbucks coffee for 9 months!! I fell off the wagon around my birthday but I have not had Starbucks again since August. This year, I am going to continue with no Starbucks and I am also going to give up dairy. My skin looks better and I feel better when I don’t eat dairy. Give up one type of food that you know you should not be eating for 30 days. No cheat days!
I am really excited for the challenge to start. Do it with me! Please! We can hold each other accountable. You can sign up for the Last 90 Days Challenge here. Let me know when you sign up and also tell me what food you’re giving up. We can do this!!
