Blogger’s note: Please see our updated views based on reference to Rachel Hollis.

We have officially completed the first 10 days of our challenge and it’s time to check in.  What is working?  What needs work?  Have you been tempted to fall into any bad habits or have you given into a temptation?

I think it’s safe to say that in our first 10 days all of us have encountered some kind of temptation,  misstep or stumbled just a bit.  Changing our routine and creating new habits is hard and it takes constant intentionality.  So many times I have almost ordered a Diet Pepsi without thinking because it’s an old habit.  I even had a dream that I was asking for a Diet Pepsi and then I yelled, “oh no, I gave that up.  Just bring me water.”  I didn’t think I was having any issues with giving that up, but my subconscious begs to differ.

The point is that changing our habits is hard even when it feels like it’s going smoothly.  I have found that when things feel easy it’s exactly the time to take notice and be extra diligent with our intentions.  You think I am being dramatic, but it doesn’t take a lot to throw us off course.  All it takes is a random Friday evening in which friends have invited you out.  It takes intention to have a drink and still get home at a reasonable hour so you can do your Saturday morning routine.  How many times have we used the excuse of just this once it won’t hurt if I skip…?

So, you stay out late and don’t do your morning routine, you are dehydrated and tired so you skip your workout just this once and eat some comfort food.  Now it’s Saturday afternoon and you’ve already “messed up” the day so you decide to bag the whole day.  On Sunday, you feel terrible because you didn’t bless your body with anything that was good for it and you decide that you are just going to start over on Monday. Two weeks later you can’t remember where you veered off course, but you might as well just wait until January 1st.  You’re familiar with the inside of this rabbit hole, right?  Changing your habits doesn’t mean you can’t go out and have fun, but you must have a plan.

And as you continue to go through this challenge stop worrying about checking the boxes and think more about what the boxes represent in your life.  What are you continually phoning in?  Working out?  Fueling your body?  Committing to yourself? This challenge is about YOU. It’s about what YOU need in YOUR life and making the commitment to YOURSELF to make those changes.  The Five to Thrive are things that Rachel Hollis thinks will change your life.  If you don’t think that drinking upwards of a gallon of water each day will help you then don’t do it.  My hubby is doing this challenge with me and it looks very different than mine. He gets up a little later than I do, he stretches and walks while I drink tea and journal.  We workout at opposite ends of the day and he cannot leave meetings 25 times each day to pee so the water looks more like him trying to drink more.  He is still creating new habits.

Over the next 10 days take notice of any spots where you could potentially fall off the wagon and think about what habits you are trying create.  Don’t worry if your challenge looks different than mine or your neighbors, you are still doing it.