Let’s get this straight. This challenge regarding “noise reduction” does not include meditation. Although I love meditation, we ain’t starting the year there. That’s too complicated coming out the gate in January. And the title is not a sneaky way to think that you need to do some crazy pilates move because that’s “stretching” not exercising. Nope not going there either. And there’s no food, special diet, menu involved either. Intrigued? Read on.

Did your 2017 fly by too?

Do you even remember how you spent those 365 days?

Annually for the past 3 years my hubby and I have dined out on New Year’s “Adam” (the day before New Year’s Eve. I credit my nephew for telling me that. Isn’t it so good? New Years Adam! Get it, Adam and Eve?? Love it!) Anyway, we reflect on all the highlights of the year. The vacations we’ve taken. Goofy kid stories. Or maybe an overall epic memory of the year. Can you say U2 Joshua Tree concert in Cleveland via our boat!?!

We do this before our first “board meeting”. Some call it resolutions, others refer to it as goals. We call it our “board meeting.” We typically break it down into 3 things.

1. Our “Word” or phrase of the year. This sets the tone and intention for the year.
2. Our family desires for the upcoming year ie. Vacation destinations, boating trips, “fun” house projects
3. Our professional paths. This is where 12 weekly challenges was born on my former KimLeneghan site. It was thought of over tequila and fancy tacos. Check it out here. 

However, plans for this New Year’s Adam was thwarted by vomit and heartache. Vomit from not 1 but 2 of my 3 children. And heartache from an unexpected death in my circle of love. The sting is still present. The numbness constant. But life goes on, no matter how thick the fog is.

It was on my way home from church, alone in the car, spaced out half listening to a business radio program this next challenge idea came to me. The guest of the show, talked about the power of boredom. How we no longer let our minds wander. We must have some kind of “noise” every single moment. Noise in the form of a next project, meeting, blog post, a quick scroll through our phones, a catch up of 100 TV shows we’ve missed. She then went on to talk about what all this noise does and how too much noise can be a really bad thing mentally. She talked about the power of boredom..

Later in this same day, a Facebook story I was reading talked about moms with high-functioning depression. And one of the things mentioned was these women purposely stay so busy to avoid the mind spinning, the non stop anxiety riddled thoughts that sneak in during periods of quiet.

I can’t help but think these 2 things that crossed my path on the same day are not contradicting each other but somehow intertwined and related.

Thus was born a Mental Reset challenge. 7 days of quick, meaningful things that many of us have “forgotten” how to do. Things that the Noise has replaced.

New Years resolutions and goals are full of “eating healthy and exercising more”. Yet, we forget that without the brain finding peace, even if just for a few moments, those other things will only go so far.

Join me January 8th as we embark on the Misfit way of doing things different than the rest. Make sure to follow Misfit Nutrition on Facebook or drop me your email so that you can receive your daily task each day, for 7 days. Not 12 weeks of 7 day challenges. What was I thinking last year? Man, I must have been motivated. Or it could have been the tequila. Actually some of those might come back later on, but not now. We have something much more important here to do. 

And just in case you’re wondering, no they won’t be given out in advance. You’ll see them up by 6:30 am each day from January 8th to the 14th on the Misfit FB page or emailed to you. Or I can text you. Or call you (but not at 6:30am). 

Misfit Hugs! Happy New Year!