welcome to 30-day optimism challenge

Join Me on a Motivational 30-Day Optimism Challenge

Perspective is a funny thing. It seems to change based on life’s circumstances and our own experiences.

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Losing my mom last August completely changed my perspective on a number of things.

As we near the anniversary date of her passing, I’ve been doing a bit of internal inventory on my personal growth in a number of areas.

the best views come after the hardest climb

30-Day Optimism Challenge

Grief has a way of changing your perspective in big ways. It’s a journey that challenges you to move; the direction you choose directs your path.

I was thrilled to be invited to join the Frost Bank 30 Day Optimism Challenge.

As the final day of July nears and we begin the transition into August, I’ve discovered the need for a clear vision. A vision that guides me toward optimism.

After all, optimism is a force to be reckoned with. It’s the self-fulfilling spark that turns challenges into opportunities and the impossible into the inevitable.

According to research, choosing optimism can be a catalyst for better physical, emotional, and even financial health.

I decided back in January that I wanted to live my life NOW.

To check items off my personal bucket list, as well as my mom’s.

There’s no time to waste and the time is always now. It’s too short for regrets.

I also took a look deep within myself to find ways I could improve and live a fuller life to honor my mom.

When she passed away, we saw the legacy she left behind as it stretched much further than any of us knew.

She touched so many lives, beyond our own, and I want to continue that legacy with the next generation.

And that next generation starts in December!

calendar date pregnancy announcement

When I think of optimism, I remember that Colby and I will be welcoming our first grandchild to the world in a few months.

Talk about excited! My heart is overwhelmed with joy and more than ready to move forward with a more grateful heart and renewed perspective.

The 30 Day Optimism Challenge will move me closer in that direction as I focus on the three main areas of the challenge:

  • Fostering Generosity – Recipients of generosity feel empowered, less alone and less isolated, and as the giver, you reap positive emotional benefits that beg you to do it again.
  • Building Community – Personal connections are integral to optimism, yet despite being more connected than ever, people feel more isolated than ever.
  • Changing Perspectives – Taking time for self-reflection, organization, and goal-setting can spark an internal fire that turns intentions into action.

Fostering generosity has been ingrained in my soul since I was a child. My parents, mostly my mom, believed in taking in anyone who needed a place to stay.

We always had people beyond the five of us living in our home. Everyone was welcome.

When we got older, my dad decided to begin a homeless ministry made up entirely of our family members. We’ve been serving the homeless for almost 15 years now.

This is a part of myself that I am constantly looking to fulfill and look forward to discovering new ways to foster it during the challenge.

things I am grateful for

Building a community is a new way of life for me.

As an introvert, I’ve always struggled with being able to handle relationships outside my family.

When we moved into our new house in March 2017, I made a bold decision to start a neighborhood Facebook group. I still lead the group and it has close to 200 members in it.

Not only do I manage the group, but I also plan and attend bi-monthly events for our “village.”

When I’m asked why we chose to move where we did or why I started the group, my answer is always the same, “I wanted to build community.”

I know most of the people in our neighborhood – and they know me.

Finding new ways to connect with them over the 30 days will be fun!

things you look at change perspective

This brings us to changing perspectives.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, my perspective has been twisted and pulled over the past year as I’ve dealt with the throes of grief.

Perhaps the biggest factor for optimism for us through the trials was learning about our future grandbaby. Bringing my focus back to something good, setting goals based on our new family dynamic, and helping plan for this new generation has brought new life into our home.

This will help make Day 1 of the 30 Day Optimism Challenge easy:

List 5 Things You’re Grateful for on a Sticky Note You’ll See Daily

  1. Our First Grandchild – Coming December 2018

The rest will fall into place as we start the challenge together on August 6th.

Are you ready to get inspired with me?

I, along with Frost Bank, am inviting you to join me in this motivational 30-Day Optimism Challenge.

All you have to do is sign up to participate in acts of optimism for 30 straight days.

These daily acts will be small in nature, but we both believe their collective impact has the potential to be massive. Join our army of optimists:

one that believes anything is possible when we work together.

Such a belief can change people’s days. And that can change people’s lives. And that can change the world.

365 Days of Gratitude