30-Day No-Fail Happiness Challenge
I do my best to choose happy when I can. I know this isn’t always possible and I know that it’s not a choice for many people. I realize how fortunate I am. In an effort to keep the happy going, many of the Happy Mamas and I have taken POPSUGAR’s 30-Day No-Fail Happiness Challenge. It’s sure to increase endorphins and positivity in my life!
It outlines 5 things that you gradually do to challenge yourself to be happy. One of the happy mamas (of 6) taking the challenge put together a printable to check everything off over the course of the 30 days.
I started the challenge last week! I’ve actually done it every day! The three things I’m grateful for happen at night but are pretty easy to come up with. The meaningful thing hasn’t been too much of a challenge, either. The reaching out and praising is going okay. I’m finding I sort of do it already, but at the same time, if I set out to do it, it’s harder.
The 15 minutes of cardio. I needed that challenge the most. I’ve been on so many courses of exercise (I used to teach aerobics after all), and then I slack off. As of today, I’ve consistently done some cardio for at least 15 minutes. It’s best to have somebody to hold me accountable. Mr. Serious is that person. When we can both exercise together, we do Ripped in 30.
When we can’t, I’ll jump on the elliptical or even go for a walk in the neighborhood. 15 minutes isn’t long at all! I aim for at least 30 minutes, though!
The meditation was the one I was worried about the most. 5 minutes of meditation seems like it would take forever. (I fully realize that 5 minutes is only 5 minutes!). I shouldn’t have doubted myself after I successfully did hypnobirthing! So, I took to amazon and found a nice guided meditation CD. It is now 5 minutes (or more) that I look forward to.
At the end of the day, I get out my handy old school notebook and record it all. It keeps me on track. I added a picture for a little extra inspiration, too.
After over a week of doing it, I think it really has helped me. I find myself not getting upset as easily as I previously had. I find myself looking forward to exercising again and getting myself back on track. I enjoy the meditation time and like that I’m thinking about others even more!
Free Printable Motivators: Choose Happy, Choose Kind, Choose Courage
Another motivator is a nice wall sign to hang up. So I’ve got some great printables you can grab and hang up to motivate yourself, too. Click here, or on each picture to grab the PDF, print and frame at home!
Choose Happy will remind me of my happiness challenge. 
Choose Kind will remind me of my task of reaching out and praising others. You never know how far a compliment will go!
Choose Courage will help remind me to be strong and courageous during my meditation and workouts, even when I might not want to do them!
Will you join us in our 30-Day No-Fail Happiness Challenge? Please let me know in the comments or on Facebook. I’m planning on updating for sure and I’d love to here how it goes for you!
this is a great idea and a good challenge. Your grandma sent me a “thankful” notebook years ago. I think it has a few entries but that’s it. Maybe I need to break it out and start writing in it again.
The notebook I’m using is one that I was sent by grandma a while ago. It’s been sitting on my bedside table pretty much empty until now.
What a great idea – I think I need to sign myself up!
I think keeping a notebook was a good idea. I hope your challenge goes well 🙂 Looking forward to hearing how it goes.
I really love this idea.. even better i would love to start this while I’m young.. remember the good times 🙂
I really like this, I’ll be trying these out.
Good luck with the challenge! They seem like reasonable objectives, the consistency is always difficult. I know I need to get back into a regular exercise program, despite dealing with snow days and 3 feet of snow outside.
Good luck with the challenge! The note book idea is a great way to help your self figure out how you really feel about things. I’ve used a note book for over 10 years now and it’s time to start a new one.
Sounds good. I just printed the paper. I actually did the eliptical today. I hadn’t done it in a long time.
What a great challenge! We all know consistency is key to success, but man, it’s hard to keep it going. Sounds like you’re off to a wonderful start!
Instead of running outside, I’ve been going to the gym more since it’s been so cold but our poor Labrador misses our runs! Today I bundled up and we went for a nice long walk! I love the idea of doing 5 things done gradually to challenge yourself to be happy and certainly exercising in the cold winter is one thing that I know makes me happier!
Just because I’m super curious, what spot and method did you choose for meditation? I’m always looking for new ways to relax and detox!
So, method is using the guided relaxation file I found on amazon (I linked to it above)…location just depends. Bed, couch, bath they all work. The key is that it’s quiet and distraction free!
Love this challenge.
I just did some personality testing that showed I’m a pretty skeptical person. (Great for a journalist, not for my personal life.)
I need reminders to be happy.