Friday Challenge – Week 2
Welcome to week 2 of the Friday Challenge, a set of articles written for us by Shelley Wilson as a gift to you the reader. Author of How I Changed My Life In A Year, Shelley is sharing some of her own challenges with us and motivating us to make our own lives better.
If you missed week 1 here is a link to the post http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5MH
Over to Shelley…
Can You Appreciate What You Have By Giving Something Up?
After taking part in this year’s Cancer Research Dryathlon, whereby I refused all alcohol for the month of January, I decided to carry this challenge on and am now tee-total (nine months and counting). Don’t panic readers, we’re not asking you to give up your Friday night glass of vino… well not yet anyway!
In my book How I Changed My Life in a Year, I dedicated an entire chapter to giving up the demon drink. For my month seven challenge, to appreciate what I have by doing without, I had to come up with four other activities to forgo.
With the television, Facebook and my car eliminated from my life for a single week each, I felt much better. More time to write, no incessant stream of notifications and increased exercise were the benefits of my challenge. The fourth week, however, was a very different story. At my twelve-year old daughter’s request, I gave up wearing black clothing. A simple task you may think, but oh no!
Here is an excerpt from my book.
I realised the magnitude of this challenge when, on day one, with bleary eyes and bed hair, I fished around in my underwear drawer for any other colour of pants! (Note to self – pants situation critical.)
Fast forward to the 3 p.m school run and thank goodness for blue denim.
With two minutes to spare I stood in my jeans and bra (white one) looking at 25 black tops. If I turned up at school in just my underwear, my daughter would disown me, then I remembered a multi-coloured T-shirt I’d bought for an eighties fancy dress party – yes, I wore it.
I didn’t think it was possible for an eye roll from a twelve-year old to stop me in my tracks, but hey, this challenge was never going to be easy.
Giving up wearing black clothing may have seemed a trivial goal but it certainly made me appreciate my wardrobe and think about my image. Interestingly, as I opted for a more colourful palette, I noticed a change in my moods and emotions. Leaving the dull, dreary black clothing behind meant I filled my life with reds, pinks and greens and benefited from a little colour therapy along the way.
Challenge accepted and achieved. It can help us to appreciate what we have in our life by giving something up, so I extend my challenge to you – Give something up such as twitter, diet coke or taking the car and embrace the experience.
‘How I Changed My Life in a Year’ – http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KAAUE88
Also on Amazon.com
Find Shelley on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/ShelleyWilson72
We’re back next Friday with another challenge.
Great idea! Now, what to give up…H x
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Gosh, that really would be a major challenge! I’d be left with nothing to wear, save a few (very) odd grey bits.
Inspirational. Am buying the book today.
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Well done June, I now have lots of coloured jumpers ready for winter, but I’ve struggled with trousers that aren’t black or skinny Jeans, I briefly considered a pair of Tartan trews, but thought the family would disown me if I bought them.
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Giving up black would mean a shopping trip for me…well almost. XD
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I think we’ve all fallen into the trap of black is slimming, black is versatile, black goes with anything, but it can also drag us down.
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*Sigh*
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Reblogged this on theowlladyblog.
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Another challenge…but what to give up? Black is not an issue – I rarely wear it as it drains what little colour I have right out of me! Much as I hate to say it I think it has to be chocolate which seems to have it’s claws in me at the moment. So here goes…the next week and no chocolate…gulp 😦
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Good Luck, we’re behind you. I gave up coffee last May, I hated the way it was controlling my life, went cold turkey overnight and haven’t touched a drop since.
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Reblogged this on Barrow Blogs.
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I love reading the comments on Rosie’s blog as everyone is so positive – even when faced with a challenge! I’ve just looked down at my outfit and realised I’m in black, I may need to take my own advice 😉 hope your challenges are going well x
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I’m stuck in my black trousers, anyone got any good suggestions? I like an elasticated waist, boot leg, I have jeans already.
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Reblogged this on Shelley Wilson.
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