Back at the beginning of the year, I proposed a challenge for 2015 – Prove yourself wrong:
I’ve never been much of a fan of resolutions. Perhaps it’s because I see the bodies flock to the gym every January only to be back on their respective couches by Valentine’s Day. Or I see the impassioned declarations about eating clean shared publicly on Facebook and I spy a doughnut in the poster’s hand before the month is out. I get it. Change is hard. And in order for change to occur, you have to be ready. And that may not correspond neatly with the dawning of the new year.
Which is why I like to offer up a little twist on the traditional resolutions.
Here is my offering from last year: Celebration, Enhancement, Intention.
This year is a little different. This year I propose a challenge. To be completed by December 31, 2015. And, yes, I will be holding you accountable.
Nervous yet?
Don’t be.
Here it is – over the year, I want you to prove yourself wrong.
That’s it.
No calories to count or reps to complete (unless of course, that’s how you’re proving yourself wrong).
All you have to do is find one belief you currently hold and change your mind about it.
Confused? I’ll give you some ideas:
-Start by thinking of the things you say you “can’t” do. Pick one and do it.
-Examine your thoughts for traces of “always” or “never;” those words usually indicate an underlying stereotype or assumption. Find a counterexample.
-Sift through your responses to people and claims. Look for those topics that make you defensive. That’s a sign that you think you can’t handle some truth. Prove that you can.
It’s so easy to operate within a prison of possibilities built by our own limiting thoughts.
This is your year to break through.
Prove yourself wrong.
Remember, I’ll be checking up on you:)
Now here we are. Six weeks later. Over forty days and countless opportunities to prove yourself wrong.
So have you?
I proved myself wrong just yesterday. I’m probably the world’s worst napper (just ask my mother, who had to survive my infancy). When I was tired and sluggish yesterday afternoon, the idea of a nap sounded appealing, but then I shut down the idea with the though, “You know you can never manage to nap.”
And I became determined to prove myself wrong. To tell that internal limiting voice to shove it so that I could sleep.
And sleep I did.
With only the slightest amount of guilt for “wasting” part of a Sunday afternoon.
It felt wonderful not only to rest, but also to prove myself wrong.
What have you done in the past 6 weeks that you thought you could not do?
How have you proved yourself wrong?
Lessons From the End of a Marriage 
I have a difficult time sitting still. I’m proving that wring though by watching some tv shows i have queued up in Netflix with my GF. Turns out i CAN sit and watch one or two episodes without getting antsy or feeling guilty that i should be doing housework or something.
Love it! Here’s to not feeling guilty that every moment has to be filled “doing” something!
Its been hard, but I’m learning to slow down and enjoy a little down time
I’ve proven to myself I can complete more than 30 min of cardio after weight lifting.
I remain working to prove I can stop the negative messages I hearing my head – things my gaslighting ex told me about myself.
One day at a time!
That’s an impressive feat! And I love your ongoing goal. You’ll get there:)
I used to internally mock and berate myself for having big dreams. I recently decided that was stupid, that it’s okay to have big dreams, that I shouldn’t belittle myself for them, and that I don’t have to share those dreams with “Dream Killers”. So, now whenever that internal naysayer starts telling me I’m an idiot for dreaming big, I shut him up. I never thought I could do that before. So, I started proving myself wrong, and plan to continue to dream big. 🙂
Yes! What an awesome way to prove yourself (and those naysayers) wrong!:)
I love your blog!
I’m going to take on this challenge, I’m not going to write how I’m going to prove myself wrong (but don’t worry, I have something specific mind). I am going to do it and I will report back at the end of the year.
Thank you.
Awesome! Best to you on your challenge. May you prove yourself ever so wrong:)
I am trying hard to stop undermining myself. Reaching out to meet new people, stop my internal conversation and stop my inclination at introversion. I have had two dinner parties since the beginning of the year, granted it is with people I know mostly but they brought dates.
Two dinner parties sounds like a great start! That’s a good way to start to get more comfortable with new people:)
I took myself to Florida, booked my tickets, hotel and rental car without anyone’s help. I didn’t foresee the $300 deposit on my car, could only stay at my hotel one night, found another cheaper hotel, managed to still eat, go to the beach, see the sunrise over the Manatee River and the sun set over the Gulf of Mexico on Sneed Island. I don’t regret a single moment, because I wouldn’t have had the balls to stand up to my family and say “SCREW IT! I”M GOING!!” Best and happiest weekend in my life-besides the birth of my children, of course 😉