It occurred to me while taking part in a personal development group this past fall how greatly I was lacking in the self-love department. This is ironic considering I have spent the better part of my professional career helping, guiding, supporting, coaching, and cheering on students, staff, and adults seeking out the very self-validation I myself was floundering with. For many reasons, being kind to myself, speaking kindly to myself, and dare I say even loving myself are such foreign concepts, I decided enough was enough around Thanksgiving and decided to do my own Self Love Challenge throughout the month of December.
How did I come up with the daily items?
I had to do a little research and a lot of soul searching. What would really resonate with me and make me want to commit to 30 days of self-love? They also had to be as quick and easy as possible as hanging out with/chasing around a 15-month-old little that is forever on the move and doesn’t like to sleep through the night is no easy task.
Around the same time, Sasha, Still I Run’s Founder, and I were throwing around the idea of doing a challenge for the SIR Community group throughout December, but once the amazing opportunity came up to host a 5K with Altra Running, we both decided to hold off until after the holidays.
2020 has been incredibly challenging and also a testing year for just about everyone. The more I got to thinking about it, the more I felt like WE ALL deserve to love ourselves just a little bit more, so why not make January the challenge month and really kick off 2021 by taking some control back over our own perspectives. Believe me, I will be the first one to tell you how hard this can be, particularly when you are in the depths of a meltdown, or feeling hopeless about your circumstances. There are some days I seriously question whether this will be our new normal forever. It is a heavy thought to bear though, and I for one could use a little lightening of the load. I also am learning just how influenced our kids are by what we as parents say and do, and it is high time she learns now how amazing of a little human she truly is, and it is time I start doing the same.
Soooo, after a little brainstorming, the incredible team at SIR has made this Self Love Challenge a reality for the month of January, and to perk things up, even more, have made it into a jolly game of BINGO. One in which EVERYONE can take part. There is no “winner” as this is a challenge designed to help lighten YOUR load by participating with the most supportive community around. So that even on those days where all you can do is get out of bed, that is enough.
This is something that means a great deal to me and I invite you all (along with your families!) to take part. I will be posting my daily self-love item in the SIR community Facebook group and would be honored for you all to do the same. Bring on some love in 2021!!
Bingo Instructions below!
