Day 5 of the Joy Challenge: Declare Goals, Develop Habits

I’m running the newly updated Joy Equation Course *LIVE* starting this Friday, June 12th. Fair warning — it’s the very last time The Joy Equation will be offered at the Pay-What-You-Can price!

In celebration of relaunching my signature Course, I’m challenging *YOU* to start prioritizing joy in your life.  We’re 5 days into our 6 Day Joy Challenge with a daily writing prompt for your journal and  photography prompt to post online using the hashtag #thejoyequation. It’s not to late to dive in, sugar!

If you want to take part in the last four challenges challenges, links are located here.

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Writing Prompt

Examining our past stories helps us clear the deck for the future. What are you carrying around that might affect your ability to pursue meaningful goals and develop powerful habits?

Use these two prompts to examine your baggage, both helpful and harmful.`

What are the things you habitually do or mindsets you naturally embrace that are serving you right now? Remind yourself about a time you experienced joy/pride/triumph because of these habits.

What are the things you habitually do or mindsets you naturally embrace that are holding you back right now? Remind yourself about a time you experienced defeat/sadness/failure because of these habits.

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Photography Prompt

Without worrying about a long term commitment from yourself, I want you do something today that you wish was already a habit!

Maybe that’s going for a run, standing up for yourself at work, meditating, drinking a cup of tea and writing in your journal before bed, giving your baby a coconut oil massage or taking a walk at lunchtime. Doesn’t matter what your wannabe habit is, as long as you do it!

And take a picture of it of course… Share with us by using the hashtag #thejoyequation on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook.

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MY PHOTO

I wish a daily home yoga practice was already an ingrained habit!

I’m pretty good at getting to the studio 2x a week, but the “whip out my yoga mat and go through a few asanas” still alludes me.

Not today however!

Done and done and feeling goooood.

Namaste, loves.

(Also. Taking a yoga selfie is very hard…)

Yesterday was such a special outpouring of sweetness for the cherished people in your world. Thank you for sharing your love with me!

XOXO

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Here’s What I Know:
Declare Goals, Develop Habits

The pursuit of worthwhile goals is one of the few things you can to that markedly improves your life satisfaction. And the development of powerful habits helps support that worthy pursuit.

When you feel like you’re just going through the motions — fearful of making any change, bored by the path you feel stuck on, or scared that you’ll never actually accomplish anything — declaring goals that are in alignment with your authentic self can awaken your spirit.

I firmly believe you don’t have to do anything…

You don’t have to stay in that job. You don’t have to stay in that relationship. You don’t have to slave away at the gym to validate someone else’s perception of attractive.

You have power to make changes in your life, both large and small.

You have the power to declare goals that reflect your core values, your definition of success, your unique take on the world.

When you are prioritizing joy, you examine your life closely.You ask yourself, “Why?”

Why do I work overtime? Why do I spend time with these specific friends? Why do I increase my debt by shopping online? Why do I haul my kids around to every playgroup in town? Why do I turn away from my partner in bed?

And sometimes the question is, “Why don’t I?”

Why don’t I quit my job? Why don’t I forgive my ex? Why don’t I make time to meditate? Why don’t I write poetry? Why don’t I organize that women’s circle I’m craving? Why don’t I dance in the fountain in the middle of downtown?

With that kind of powerful self-examination, you can make conscious decisions about what is worth your time, your energy, your money.

When your goals are clear, the next piece is to identify the specific habits and mindsets that will support you.

It’s the little things you do every day that add up to your experience of life, so be deliberate in what you choose.

After coaching women for the past 5 years and especially in in the year-long timeframe of the Elevate Mastermind — I’ve learned a thing or two about the habits that support authentically joyful women.

Some of my favorites? Asking for what you want, protecting your personal resources, honoring your energy,  gratitude rituals, finding flow and meditation. Part coaching tools, part positive psychology research, part first hand experience — this is the shit I wish they’d teach in schools.

Your habits are going to help you or harm you, honey.

And the cool part? With a little experimentation and understanding of the latest in motivation, willpower and grit, you have the power to cultivate the habits that support the best version of you.

By declaring goals that are meaningful to you and cultivating the habits you need to start or stop in order to pursue your goals — you’ll be setting yourself up to achieve your definition of success in this step of the Joy Equation.