Week 7 has been the most difficult week of the Challenge for me. By far. I have not exercised for days. I have barely done this week’s Lifestyle habit. I did not plan and grocery shop this week. I have been focused on work and lost sight of the Challenge. I have barely remembered to enter my daily scores. After 7 weeks, I am tired. I want week 8 to be the picture of Challenge success. I want to end this 8 week Challenge on a high note.

What have I learned during Week 7 of the Challenge?

Being sick is a challenge to the Challenge

A few members of my family visited last week. When they left I got sick. It was as if the adrenaline that propelled me to prepare and keep going during their visit turned on me and fueled a storm that seized my lungs and made my body into a tornado of coughs, aches, and pains. I soldiered through last week to the point I literally stretched and ran myself into the ground. It has not been an easy week to successfully participate in the Challenge. I have even found it hard to complete nightly reflection, and I am a person who loves to reflect as much as I love to eat a bowl of pasta. I have struggled because I feel bad. I have a bad attitude because I feel bad. Today, I have turned a health corner. I am getting to back on the exercise track this weekend. I head into Week 8 with a mending body and mind.

Results come slowly

I have not seen the kind of results that I thought I would see coming in to the Challenge. The Habits have not become the rhythm of my life. Perhaps I have been too willing to lose points? Perhaps I have taken too much of the long view that wants long term behavior change versus quick results? Perhaps I have just not taken the Challenge seriously enough? All that being said, I am hopeful about my overall Challenge results for several reasons. I have not given up during the ebbs and flows of the last 7 weeks. I have seen some results in terms of making better choices and integrating Habits into my day-to-day life. I am heading into Week 8 committed to participating in the next Challenge that starts in January.

From 8 to 6 weeks

The Whole Life Challenge announced this week it would be changing their scheduling strategy. Staring in 2018, each challenge will be 6 weeks in length (rather than 8 weeks in length) and there will be 6 weeks off between each Challenge. The rationale for the change is that it is mirroring a longterm, in season/off season schedule that is designed to capitalize on both momentum and rest. I am excited about this change. The new structure will address the fatigue I am currently experiencing. This new structure will build on what I have learned the last 7 weeks. Habit forming takes time. The new structure has my long term goals in mind.

Anger. Frustration. Doubt. Oh my!

I have been surprised by how negative I have been this week. I have been sick and I am the worst sick person ever, but I pay attention when my generally positive outlook becomes negative. I have felt stepped on and smashed. I have felt worried. I have used words like never and always. I have not participated in the WLC community. I have not been able to exercise without pain and that has made everything worse. Today, I feel better. Today, I can see jumping back in to exercise, now that the pain in my chest has gone away. Today, I know Week 8 will be a better than Week 7.