Setting yourself challenges

Brene Brown's TED Talks have been resonating with me over the last week. Her  phrase "Dare Greatly" has really got me thinking. One of my new year resolutions was to do and experience different things in 2015. It was about being bold and getting out of the rut that I thought that I was in.. There is nothing wrong with having a routine. We all have them in our lives and structure enables us to get on with our lives. Sometimes we just need to do new things to make us realise we are alive!

I'm not talking about becoming an adrenaline junkie - although sometimes it's exciting to do something really exciting and different! I can't believe that it's five years since I did this zip wire experience! Here's a quick video of one of the zip wires I actually went across! The adrenaline was pumping that morning.

 I am talking about doing something different that makes you feel good, that doesn't cost a fortune and makes your heart sing!

So today I was interested to read about a wife who set her husband a quirky list of things he had to do as a 50th Birthday present. Here is the list below:

                                                    This has got me thinking!

Everyone I seem to has some form of "to do" list. Their format differs from person to person -  from "my back of an envelope friend", "the can't go anywhere without a notebook friend" to "there must be an app I can make notes on friend". What ever the to do list looks like, generally, this always had a list of jobs and chores that we need to complete either in work, for home or a shopping list.Let's face it this list is often dull!  I was wondering, after looking at this wife's quirky list,  how often we set our selves challenges on a list of fun things?  I for one, don't have one!

 I might have an item on a more boring "to-do" list that says something like "go to cinema to see a certain film" or "book restaurant for dinner with x". I don't want a bucket list - and I am not calling it this - they often have exotic things to achieve such as doing a parachute jump or visit a special place that we have always wanted to visit.

Bucket lists have their place too. I'm talking about making a more realistic list of things to achieve that makes us feel good - it's about simplicity that we can incorporate into our every day lives. So instead of going to the gym - it might for example change to- after work I will run in a park and enjoy the feel of the wind on my face.

You need to personalise your own list! That makes it so special! 

There are some great ideas on the quirky list above though - I so love the idea of No 32 on the list "Try an alternative therapy" - there are so many male friends that I would love to have this on their list! To just try it once - and not to put it down before they have even tried it! 

I also like no 19 on the list " Put £5 in a prominent book in the library with an a note that it is for the finder to keep". Imagine finding the £5? You would be delighted and also intrigued who left it there - a whole story could evolve in your mind!

So I am off to make a list of 5 things that I want to do in February!  I have decided that I am going to make a monthly list rather than a big annual list.

           "BE BOLD- BE BRAVE- BE HAPPY- BE FREE-  BE SILLY- BE ORIGINAL"
 
I am going away on holiday next month so I am giving some thought on what I can do when I am away that will make this holiday even more special! But for today it was eniough to have a dog walk with Colin with our friends Ruth and Jazz around the lake at Virginia Water instead of the normal route we take for the morning dog walk!

Beautiful Virginia Water - a very chilly walk around this lake.