Your tiny challenge for July is here…
Welcome to your new tiny challenge for July! Yep, it’s a new month, so it’s time I jumped on and gave you a new challenge for the month. Watch the video above or read on to find out what it is…
Try something new
The challenge for July is to try something new. So it’s a pretty easy and straightforward challenge, and it should be a lot of fun.
This is something I try to do every month; to try at least one new thing.
The reason I do that is because it helps me get out of my comfort zone, find new ways of thinking, doing and being, and keeps me questioning whether the way I do things is the best way. Because sometimes trying a new way might actually end up being better than the old way. Plus, it just helps to keep life really interesting and fun.
And when you’re in business for yourself or entrepreneurially minded, it’s especially beneficial because it helps you to be creative and flex your courage muscle. That’s really important when you’re putting yourself out there in business all the time!
Wondering what to try for your tiny challenge for July?
Last month, my “try something new” challenge was to go to a basket weaving workshop run by Perfect Pear, which was heaps of fun. And it was really good for me because I often catch myself thinking and saying that I’m not particularly creative or artistic. So by trying a new thing that is in that realm, it really helps me to challenge that belief that I have about myself.
Probably one of my more famous challenges was the month I decided to try Roller Derby, which happened to be the same month that I was getting married. I think my fiance thought I was going mad and he was actually quite concerned that I was going to end up walking down the aisle with my arms in plaster! But, happy ending, no arms in plaster! I walked down the aisle with two free arms working perfectly. So it all worked out ok.
In fact, I kept up with the Roller Derby and had a great fun 12 months or so before we entered our big lockdown. That brought on an early retirement for me unfortunately, but it was lots of fun. And I loved that time in my life.
So perhaps you’ve always wanted to go diving with sharks or jump out of a plane or something else. It doesn’t have to be that drastic, but it can be if you want it to be.
Really, this challenge is just giving you permission to dust off your Bucket List and have a little bit of fun this month.
Let your values guide your choice to try something new
Something else I like to do when I’m picking something new to try is to link it back to my core values and think of trying something new in areas of my life that are really important to me.
Example#1: Top value is Fun
For example, if one of your values is Fun, perhaps one of your ideas for trying something new this month might be to try something new that will help you to have more fun. Maybe you’re going to be taking the kids somewhere for the holidays. Rather than just watching, why not join in with them and have a go at whatever the new activity is that they’re doing. Or perhaps it’s going to a different part of town that you’ve never been to before. Trying a new show. Checking out a new musician or comedian or something like that.
If you can’t get to a live show, perhaps you can download a podcast or watch a new series from a comedian and just have a bit of fun and have your own in-house comedy night.
Example#2: Top value is Family
For people who value Family highly, maybe you could get the kids to cook you a three-course meal and you can have the night off. Or perhaps you could have a Twister championship in your lounge room or take the kids on a big geo-caching adventure… something fun that involves the whole family! That way, you’re trying something new and it’s also linked to something that’s important to you in terms of family.
Example#3: Top value is Health
If Health is important to you, maybe try a new membership to a yoga or pilates studio- something that I did in February. Maybe it’s trying a new sport, like my example with Roller Derby. Or even just something simple like a new night-time routine to help you to sleep better at night.
There’s just a few ideas to get you thinking about how much fun you can have with this… how crazy who go with it, but also how simple you can keep it. The key is just have a bit of fun with it and don’t be so serious.
Benefits of trying something new
Been a bit overworked lately? Trying something new can help you to get more balanced in terms of work and play and not be so work or task focused all the time. And hopefully it helps you find new and improved ways of living, being, and doing. You might even decide to stick with your new thing!
For example, I did a one month trial at a local yoga and pilates studio in February and that has turned into an ongoing membership. It’s had such a postive effect on me. It’s help me create a new routine that I structure my whole week around now.
Finally, I am incorporating exercise into my weekly routine, despite being a pretty busy person with a business, four kids and lots on the go.
But I knew I really wanted to stop using the excuse of not having the time for exercise. So that trial in February has become a really great habit I’ve been able to keep up with. A change for the better!
Mo money, mo problem…
So have fun with this month’s challenge. It doesn’t have to cost you any more time or money. It may, if you’ve got the money to do it and you want to do it great. But please don’t let time or money stop you from having a go at the challenge this month.
It doesn’t cost money to join in with the kids. If you’re already there, it doesn’t cost you any more time. If you’re sitting there watching, if you’ve already paid your entry, it doesn’t.
It doesn’t cost you any more money to switch out one habit and try something new. You can just divert the funds you’re already spending.
And perhaps it will save you time & money. If you do a cooking challenge and let the kids cook you a three-course meal and they’re vaguely competent in the kitchen, you might even buy yourself a little bit of time to sit down and read a book or relax with your feet up.
Time to decide!
So this month’s challenge should hopefully be a really positive, fun challenge. I so look forward to hearing what you’re going to do!
Please send me an email or tell me in the comments below. You might help inspire other people including me! And I’ll check in with you throughout the month and see how you’re going.
Oh, and I’d love to see any photos you’ve got of you doing something fun and different. Or tell me a little story about how it went down. Feel free to share them on my Facebook Page.
Have fun with our July challenge and I will check back in with you soon!