I have some really dear friends, let’s call them Sophie and Alex, who are doing this really intense challenge. It’s called 75 Strong and requires 2x workouts a day, 1 gallon of water, progress photos, no alcohol (in Wisconsin), daily reading and all kinds of other things. As a highly sensitive mental health warrior, I’m someone who has really struggled with challenges like this before because I know my nervous system cannot support this kind of intensity over long periods of time. It just can’t. Like, I went to a Tony Robbins conference and the last day I was there (after multiple days of 4 hours sleep, intense learning/dancing and walking on hot coals) I was pretty poorly and in a ton of physical pain. I knew then, that the “go hard” mentality wasn’t for me. It’s legitimately not a choice. My body will actually shut down and my mental health will follow.
However, when Sophie and Alex started this challenge, I found myself feeling inspired. Not because I necessarily wanted to live up to what they were doing (these guys are the natural outdoorsy people who like to climb 15 footers for fun) but I was craving some kind of structure and routine in my life. And to be around people who were generally trying to challenge themselves, and seeing them jump in for the long-term gains, even when they weren’t necessarily super excited to get started, it made me question what I could actively be doing to contribute to my own happiness. To feel strong. To feel fulfilled. To feel inspired. To start feeling like myself again.
You see, the last 6 months have truly been full of so much upheaval. Mourning friendships, changing roles, being in crisis in so many ways, losing my home and facing old demons. I’m honestly so proud of myself for what I’ve come through and in the way I’ve done it. Instead of falling apart, I sought out difference solutions. Instead of depending on anyone else for a way out, I found the things that made me truly feel better.
But now? I feel more like myself then I have in years. I feel calm. I feel focused. I feel ready for a fresh start. I feel determined and fired up. I feel like me. And so I felt it was time for a bit more of a challenge. But like, not the 75 Strong. My own version. One that supported my nervous system, contributed to my continued healing and made me feel good about myself day to day.
To get started, I asked myself 3 questions.
What are the practices were that make me feel most like myself? The things I can do to return to myself when life feels chaotic (because let’s be real, it’s going to continue to happen).
What basic, simple practices fall off my radar when my mental health is not taking priority?
Is there something else I can add that will take me to the next level?
My list? Looking at the first couple of words, it might seem like a general “self-care” laundry list. But I invite you to read deeper to see how I’m tailoring this to my own nervous system and what I feel like is sustainable over time. It looks like this…
Whiten teeth - because I love the process and having white teeth. Plus you can get the strips from Target for like $20.
Drink lots of water - I don’t have a specific amount, but the idea is to have water on me all day, and at the end of the day see if I feel dehydrated or nourished. There’s some intuition there, but usually, if I stop to think about it, I can tell.
My face routine - but this is the yummy stuff. I workout a lottttt so I shower all the time BUT I have these beautiful oils and an incredible natural skincare products so it’s making sure to give myself a little treat at night. Whenever I do, I feel so so much better.
Workout every day - I’m someone who usually works out 3-4 times a week. I LOVE my dancing, but committing to every day feels so good AND overwhelming AND it’s contingent on my mental health, so there is absolutely some flexibility here. 12 days in though? I’m feeling really good! I’m increasing stamina, working my schedule to fit around it, ONLY doing workouts I know I love, trying something more gentle or brand new. It’s a fun way to think about it. I think I’ve missed 2 days out of 12 so far, one because I was injured, so I’m a happy lady.
Reading - I really loved this part of 75 Strong and know that when I read, I feel more inspired. It makes me more creative and reinforces my want to improve on every level. I love learning from those who have walked different paths so this is absolutely a practice that makes me feel more like myself. I kept this practice as it was in the original challenge. At least 10 pages a day. And I’m waking up early every morning to do it. I do not open my laptop until that is done. So far, I’m through one whole book and I’m thrilled about it!
Journaling - I wanna redefine this practice. I’m not a typical journal-er. I don’t love a stream of consciousness running through the pages all the time, because my brain is not always the kindest place to be. However, I do love tracking my inspiration, my creativity, my card pulls, my lessons from therapy, bullet journaling good things in my day, quotes from books. There are so many other ways to journal. I do put in my struggles too and processing things I’m learning about myself along the way. The point is, make is YOURS. Make it something that fills you up. I don’t want you to dread opening those pages.
Stretch/breathe/meditate - This is a final small add on if my body is hurting. I also count my neck massager in this, stretching my foot out if my knee hurts. My yoga for anxiety practice or alternate breathing. Or if I’m struggling to sleep, my Feel Good app by Deliciously Ella has made a huge difference as well.
These things seem so obvious, but when you dive deeper into each one, what we’re really doing is taking action to feel the way we want to feel, and because of that, it’s so important to make a challenge like this your own. Make it things that fill you up and in a way that makes you happy. Remember that there is value in both a mix of immediate and long-term gratification. Forgive yourself if you need a day off. But keep returning. Track it. Sophie put 75 post-its on a big white sheet of paper so she can rip it off each day. I spent my time drawing 75 boxes for each activity (don’t be me unless it feels good lol) so I can tick it off when I go to journal. PLUS I can carry it around if I decide to take off somewhere.
There’s so much within the outside world which is outside of our control. So this is your invtation to find what feels good for you and your nervous system and have fun with it.
