Photo Credit: Andrea Kratzenberg via sxc.hu Do something nice for someone else today. Try to make it something that you know they may not like doing (dishes and laundry are good ones) and it will make their day that someone else did it for them so they don't have to do it. You don't have to ask them to pay it forward themselves, but wouldn't it be cool if they did? Photo Credit: Dora Pete via sxc.hu This one might absolutely terrify some people so it's important to start out small. The challenge today is to start reading a book and make every possible effort to finish it by the end of the month. If you think your tastes are similar to mine, check out my own book list page. If you don't consider yourself a "reader" I challenge that notion. The mere fact that you are hear and have made it to this point in the post, proves that you ARE a reader. Maybe you don't sit down and read 1000 page novels in one sitting (no one ever really does) but you do read things. The summary of last night's basketball game IS reading. A website with dieting tips IS reading. Scrolling through Facebook reading everyone's status updates technically IS reading. But here's the challenge. Today I want you to get away from some of those "easy" reading tasks and settle into something a little more satisfying. Don't pick a 500 page book if you've never completed something that long. But find something that interests you and go to the library or a book store and hold it in your hand. Take in the smell, the feel of the book. Listen around you while you're there. Both libraries and book stores are never nearly as silent as they are made out to be in the movies. Once you find a book that you REALLY want to read, buy it or check it out, take it home and read at least 10 pages before bed tonight. Post a comment with your book title and author. Photo Credit: Camila Schnaibel via sxc. hu This one might be a bit harder for some folks. Your challenge today is to turn off the radio on your drive into work/school/taking kids to school. Especially if you drive with other people, try to maintain a conversation the entire way to your destination. If you don't normally listen to the radio/CDs/MP3 player during your morning drive, maybe you should try it today for a change of pace. Photo Credit: Gokhan Okur via sxc.hu This one should be simple too. Pick up the phone today and call your parents and simply tell them you love them. If your parents are no longer with us, go the other way and call your children or siblings. Post a reply with who you called and what you talked about. Did they tell you they loved you back? Photo Credit: Eastbourne Bed and Breakfast via sxc.hu So I decided to go through with my plan to post daily challenges to the world (or at least the 7 people that might regularly read this blog) even though I didn't start it on the 1st of the year like I wanted to. Today's challenge is simple. Approach someone you don't know and introduce yourself with a handshake. I will probably be the one who struggles with this the most, but let's see how many handshakes we can generate today! Photo Credit: Christa Richert via sxc.hu I know it would be easy to chalk up my lack of blog posts recently to the holidays, the new year, being busy at work...I could sit here all day and rattle off a list of thousands of things. But what it really comes down to is me just being lazy. There, I said it! I'm LAZY! Whew, that's a huge weight off my chest, now I think I'll go back and lay down to watch some more TV. No, actually this time I'm going to sit and finish this post. I had grand aspirations of posting daily challenges to my readers here on the blog this year. But being that we're already almost a week into the year, that didn't quite materialize and I've already failed at my first intended challenge (do something every day that you're been putting off for too long). But seriously, what's holding you back? Do you really need to sit and watch another Real Housewives marathon, or clear the entire last season of South Park off your DVR while re-watching every episode as you go? Maybe you do, but I bet there's something more productive you can do with your time. Tell me your challenge! |
AuthorMy blog is here to give updates on my writing projects and occasionally post new poems or story excerpts. Archives
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