Saturday, January 2, 2010

The 10 in 2010 Challenge

My daughter, Kelli has posted a challenge to anyone interested in joining. It is the
"10 in 2010" challenge; a 10 week challenge to a better you! Although everyone will be given the same tasks to complete, I am writing this in first person because I want to be as motivated as possible! If I think that even one person will read this, that is motivation enough! Each week during the 10 week "course" I am given none other than....a different challenge to accomplish. Each previous week's challenge will be added to the following week and by the 10th week of this "bettering myself", I will be doing tons to uplift me and make me better! Points will be awarded daily for each task accomplished. This is one of those things that will go far beyond a challenge and will become a quest for me. To explain that statement, you may need to know a little about what is going on in my life.
On May 1st of this year my husband (Bob) and I will be married 11 years. We moved from Highlands Ranch, CO to the San Diego area 5 years ago due to employment. April 24, 2009 Bob was laid off from his job. We are going into 9 months of unemployment and mainly over the last couple of months I have started looking at (not only our life) but my life differently. While putting up some Christmas decorations this past month, it hit me like a ton of bricks how simple Christmas really should be. The thought almost brought me to tears and the feeling was overwhelming but in such a sweet way. I realized there were things in my life that I wanted to change, I guess honestly to become more Christlike. I know I am not a bad person by any means, but I knew I wanted to be better.
Call it intuition or just perfect timing, but when Kelli mentioned this challenge it hit me hard. I had questions about the challenge, but I realized I literally spent hours during the day (and night) thinking about it. When I say I spent "hours", it really was.....although I was busy with other things, it was always on my mind; maybe that is a better way to describe it. I found myself becoming motivated by thinking about it. I certainly wasn't going to start a blog just to put down in words the experience I would have and was having now. Now here I am with my own blog putting into words my feelings about this and the challenge doesn't even start until tomorrow!! I honestly believe that with the changes I make in my life and how I look at things, I will be a positive influence to my husband and others around me. By being a positive influence to others, that will have to affect me in a great way! Just writing this is getting me more excited!
Thank you, thank you, Kelli for being so in tune with not only what you needed, but with what I needed!.....and so many others needed. We have all heard stories of how one person was affected by something (whether good or bad) and it carried on down the line and affected everyone in that family....which in turn had to affect those surrounding that family. That is what I hope for me! I hope I have such a positive affect on everyone I come in contact with. I know that this year, 2010, will be great year. I know Bob will find employment and financially we will be good again. I know I will be a better person. I know that this is the best challenge I have ever been given.
I hope people read my postings and leave comments. Those comments are going to motivate and inspire me to be the best I can be. Thanks in advance for those comments!

6 comments:

Brenda said...

I can feel your excitement, and it's becoming contagious already. I am looking forward to lots of good things coming from this new year, including my being healthier and happier and sharing that with my family. Wanna be a cheerleader for me and I will be one for you!?

JoAlice said...

Absolutely!!!(As long as I don't have to wear a cheerleader uniform) :o) We can do this!!!

Anonymous said...

WOOT! Way to go, JoAlice:) What a great outlet this will be for you. BTW, have you seen Julie/Julia? It's a true story and shows how immensely rewarding a blog can be.
Hugs,
Lisa and Rob Omstead

Kimberly Giardino said...

I am really excited for you to do this as well!! I know come a few weeks you will be having a lot to blot about!!! This is going to be great for you!! Love you!!

Kevin Bair said...

Good for you Mom. I'm excited to see what comes from your blog over the next months and years. I love you and I'm proud of you. You're a great mother and I know that you've already succeded in making at least one person better and that's me. Keep it up and I love you.

Unknown said...

Good on you. I hope this experience is positively life-changing.