Mid-Month Update on Becoming Fabulous

And that’s a half-way wrap!

Kudos to me for sticking with not only YWA’s January Challenge, but also finishing Donna Eden’s 10-Day Joy Challenge and starting Commune’s 10-Day Grounding into Grace.

It hasn’t always been easy, but since I was dedicated in advance, and this isn’t my first time subjecting myself to these challenges, I’ve been able to keep up. (Note: I said subjecting myself!)

I’ll start with Donna Eden’s challenge, because last year I bombed it! 2021’s was actually a 28-day challenge, and, like everyone else, commitment is a daunting task to achieve. This year’s 10-day challenge made it seem much more attainable. I tended to do it before I started with my nightly yoga, or after my yoga. I even suckered my husband into doing it–which trust me, it’s a big deal, because not only has he started-stopped so many of his own challenges (planks, anyone?), he’s never even pretended to join in with me before for my challenges.

But this one was appealing to him–and maybe because it has been such a stressful time at work–but he jumped in a couple of times when I was doing it, he did it on his on at work, and he doubled up on the days he missed. I asked him if he felt like it kept with him throughout his day, and he said yes.

As I mostly did mine at night, I can’t say it kept me joyful during the day, but it certainly settled me down in the evening. I even did it on my own tonight, even though the challenge ended. My husband and I both really enjoyed the different perspectives from the different teachers. He asked if it was something I’d like to be certified in (the Eden Method, that is), and I just laughed–I’m done getting certified in new things! (Right? Right???)

Onward to Adriene’s annual yoga challenge, this year called MOVE. So far I’ve been able to depend on Adriene’s gentle, soothing voice to guide me into whatever yoga position she’s cueing, but this year it seems like she’s pushing our asanas (heh heh) harder! I wouldn’t necessarily say the moves are more aerobic, but it seems to be a little less traditional posing with a little more side-stretchy. I don’t typically ache after her sessions, but I’ve been sore since day one this go around. (This could also be because I got so out of routine in December. Maybe I’m just that out of shape again!) I’m enjoying this newer, other-side to Adriene approach. (Side note: I’m only comparing this to the other free yearly challenges I’ve done fo Adriene’s. The other one, my all-time favorite, Revolution, also seemed to kick my butt a bit more than the others.)

As soon as the Eden Challenge wrapped up, I jumped onto the Commune program. So far, this has been harder to commit to, just because of the duration of the yoga. (Adriene’s is also about 30 minutes). However, especially as a yoga instructor, it’s so entirely relevant to get different perspectives on how to share any aspect of yoga–pranayama, meditation, asanas. So far Schuyler Grant has really been whipping my mind into shape about how to approach asanas from the ground up. Yoga for my feet = yoga for my brain.

Comment on any of these you’re doing with me, or perhaps some other 2022 challenge that we here at Swellness Vibes haven’t heard about!

I’ll be sure to check in at the end of the month about my progress into the new year.