30 Day Challenges Day 13 | Be Flexible

I am not the most flexible person. In fact, I’m down right rigid, and I love to follow a kick ass plan. I sometimes get frozen in my focus. And sometimes (gasp) it even threatens everything I’m working toward and reaching my ultimate goals.

But when I my rigid ways threaten my success, that’s when I have to remind myself to be flexible.

I know that I can’t control everything that happens during my 30 Days. I can’t. As much as I plan, as hard as I try to anticipate road block. There’s always something that goes wrong, that happens in a way I didn’t want to happen.

And that’s why you have to be flexible.

Forcing my way through doesn’t help anything. Really. Trying to push past just wears me out before I reach my goals. But if I’m flexible, if I bend and change as my circumstances do, then I feel certain that I will reach the finish line with style and grace and energy to celebrate every success.

Of course, it’s much easier said than done. Here are some ways to make sure that you’ll adapt to your challenge, no matter what it throws at you.

Have a plan B.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket or have tunnel vision. (Excuse the cliches, please.) When you focus only on your end goal, then you loose your ability to the possibilities when the challenge gets extra hard.

Think of your challenge as a new dish you want to feed your family. When you start cooking, though, you realize that you forgot to pick up an ingredient at the grocery store. Rather than scrapping your entire dinner and ordering pizza, think of alternatives that you could use that might make the dish even better. And for a very literal example, during my 30 Days Gluten Free, I learned that balsamic vinegar is the perfect substitute to gluten-full Worcestershire. And dinner is saved.

It might not always be so obvious or easy of a solution, but it if works for you and gets you closer to your goal, then it’s so worth it.

Slow down. Take a Deep Breath. You Can Do This.

There is another way to reach your goal. But don’t freak out and stress out worrying about how you’ll get there. Instead, stop, think, and keep an open mind. There is another way, and you will find it. You can’t let your emotions and frustration get in the way of reaching your ultimate goals.

If you can’t figure out your way in your mind, journal about your concerns, talk to a friend, sleep on it. Even if you don’t instantly see a solution, it doesn’t mean it’s not there.

Be Open to Other Alternatives.

Don’t close your mind to the possibilities. Change happens, right? And honestly, that’s the whole point of starting a 30 Day Challenge to begin with: you want to change. Just because change doesn’t happen the way you thought it would doesn’t mean it won’t work. Keep an open mind and an open heart. You might surprise yourself.