One day after my first 100-day challenge

Yesterday morning, life presented me with exactly what I needed - a bright, sunny sky, not a cloud in sight, and, best of all, those rare and precious gems, space and time.

Whenever I’m faced with free time, with nobody expecting anything of me, I feel like a child in a sweet shop, wondering which of the treats I should go for first; except, for me, it’s wondering which of my favourite pastimes to indulge in - journalling, blogging, or playing my guitar.

I always know when I have to write - it’s a feeling of being so full of thoughts and words, that, if I don’t write, I might explode.

I decided that, because I was so full of emotion, having completed my first 100-day challenge, I would journal, and not blog. I needed to write, write, write and keep writing, to get all my thoughts and feelings out. Blogging is different, very public, and requires a more restrained, deliberate approach.

I will, however, share some of my thoughts now, for the same reason I shared the whole challenge – to let you know what’s possible, and that, if I could do it, so could you.

1.   I set out to dance for 20 minutes every day for 100 days. After being forced to stop for a while (a bout of flu), I made a conscious decision to continue with the challenge, but to change the specifics. In order to do make my exercise routine sustainable, something I could stick to for the rest of my life, I made a commitment to myself to dance every second day.

2.   I took the promise very seriously, talking my way out of all kinds of excuses. Self-dialogue became a regular part of my life, as I spoke my way into my dancing shoes. (I ended up dancing 50 times in 100 days.)

3.    I’ve proved quite a few things to myself, things I’d almost forgotten:

-      I can stick to an exercise routine

-      I am a dedicated, goal-driven person   

-      I am capable of keeping myself disciplined

-      When I am true to myself, I make things happen

-      I actually do know myself best

-    Only I can change my life, to make it more fulfilling – by identifying what needs changing, working at changing it, and replacing it with my preferred alternative.

-      Music is indeed the magical ingredient in my life

So, yesterday my first 100-day challenge came to a close. I’ve renamed it 'Phase One'. Today is the start of 'Phase Two', which will also last 100 days, ending on 16 November 2015. I will continue to exercise every second day, but I am also adding two new challenges, each one extremely important to me.

This time, however, I will not be making them public.

And so I move into Days 101 – 200, with all the good energy I've gained from the first 100 days.

The gains of the first 100 days are far more than I can enumerate, but I can safely encapsulate them in one statement: I BELIEVE IN MYSELF AGAIN.  

You know what? I'll be 54 next month, and I feel like a whole new life has begun for me. 

S                        Saturday 8 August 2015 -  the clear, bright morning sky on Day 100.