Week 4 means being halfway through the Whole Life Challenge. Week 4 means I have been counting points, drinking water, practicing gratitude, making a playlist, and joining a yoga studio. I am beginning to understand the rhythm of the Challenge. I am beginning to establish healthy behaviors across the spectrum of Challenge Habits. I am beginning to make the right choices without huge amount of hesitation or consternation or debate. I am beginning to know the Jump Start food list by heart.

Here are a few things I learned in Week 4 of the Challenge

Learning to breathe.

I took my first Mysore yoga class this week. I have been doing yoga on and off (mostly on until moving to Miami) for 14 years. I have practiced a variety of styles in a variety of places. The class blew my mind. The class is structured in a way that a group of people practice on their mats while the teacher provides individual guidance. We started with several simple sun salutations and I could not find my breath. I tried again and again. I started to cry. I started to cry out of frustration and fear. I started to cry because I felt bad that after 14 years of yoga I could not even breathe. Letting my ego step aside and start from the most basic element of yoga, breath, had to happen if I was not going to lay on a puddle on the floor. So with my teacher’s guidance, I sat in a comfortable position and started to breathe. 3 seconds in through my nose. 3 seconds out through my nose. 6 seconds in through my nose. 6 seconds out through my nose. 8 seconds in through my nose. 8 seconds out through my nose. 10 seconds in through my nose. 10 seconds out through my nose. My breathing strengthened and I returned to saluting the sun.

My playlist make all the difference.

I love building my playlist. I am grateful choosing a jam (and by extension creating a playlist) was the lifestyle habit this week. I enjoy connecting my love of music with the Challenge. My joy has always multiplied through music. For me, music brings joy to the Challenge. My play list includes songs from milestones, places, artists, and moments that have touched me throughout my life. Listening to it is like a run down memory lane. I will continue to add songs. I might even start another list.

Nutrition is the hardest Daily Habit.

Our coach asked earlier in the Challenge, what is the most difficult Daily Habit. I reserved my judgment at the time. Now. I am ready to weigh in. I think nutrition is the most difficult. Nutrition is the most difficult Daily Habit for several reasons: It requires planning (finding recipes and grocery shopping), discipline (both inside and outside our home), and time (primarily for cooking). Eating more nutritiously will get easier as I find recipes, become a better menu reader and restaurant chooser, and continue to learn to cook.

Is there ever a perfect time to do the Challenge?

I am convinced every day is a perfect day to do the Challenge. Let me explain. I don’t buy the idea that there are times when the Challenge is impossible. If the Challenge is about mindfulness, then it does not matter if it is your birthday, an event, a weekend get away, the Holidays, you can be aware of your choices and choose deliberately and purposefully at any time. It is about being mindful.

Already planning on raising the stakes in January.

My husband and I are participating in our first Challenge. We both intend to join the January Challenge, too. Our first Challenge has strengthened our fitness muscles, sharpened our overall health saw, and made us more conscious of our choices. (We have, overall, made much better choices the last four weeks.) We will arrive in January ready to eat and drink even better and exercise with even more intensity and joy.