Week eight - Happy Festive Season

Meeeerrrryyy Christmas dear challengers!!

Ho ho ho - this week I've gone with the spirit of giving and gifted you all 100%!!

I know this time of year is crazy and the challenge certainly wouldn't be on the forefront of your minds, so while I hope that you have achieved some great results and have enjoyed participating in the challenge, I decided to play SamanthaClaus and let you all off the check in for the last week :)

There will of course be anohter challenge in the New Year - perhaps will be the "resolution challenge" haha
I'll keep you posted... and if anybody is stopping by to see what this is all about please feel free to email your interest and we'd be happy to have you play the Half Dozen Challenge as well!

Take care friends, I look forward to sharing a glass of bubbles with you each of you over the festive season!!!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and a very safe silly season xxxx

Week seven - only one left!!!

Hi challengers!!

Thanks to the folks who got their sheets in this week.... I know the silly season is hindering some challenge efforts... but there's only one week left so let's GIVE IT HEAPS!!!

I didn't quite get my 100% goal as I had hoped - but I wasn't entirely focussed either.  I did manage to get my highest result yet though so look out week 8, here I come!

Hope you are all looking forward to the upcoming break and I hope that despite the madness that is the lead up to Christmas you can give this last week everything you have - any other takers on the 100% challenge?  I'm gonna get it - are you???

Merry final week and a happy challenge end to you all!
~Samantha~

Week Six....

Hidehi happy challengers!!

6 weeks down.... 2 to go!!!  Good work this week everyone :) 

Keeping this week short and sweet..... Who's up for a 100% mini challenge for week 7??  Dare I suggest even a target of 100% for these last 2 weeks.....

I'm gonna give it a crack... and just quietly I'm fairly determined so have a good chance of at least achieving week 7 at 100%..... just have to focus on what my goals are and then actually make the effort to get those ticks in the boxes!

Good luck everyone and I look forward to seeing who else will join me on the quest for 100%........

Week five - on the home stretch!

What a great week challengers!! 
Most of the lines showing your weekly % of goals achieved have an upward slant on them - good work everyone!!!

I've been a bit unwell the past few days (hence the slight delay in the update) but am optimistically shaking off this cold faster than roadrunner can foil coyote's latest trap!  Can be hard to stay on track when you're not well, but just by looking after myself and getting to bed early I managed to do better than last week!  hehe

The past week has seen some terrible events going on in the world - the NZ mining tragedy, the stampede and loss of lives at Phnom Penh, North Korea being idiots and throwing bombs around.....  makes you really appreciate the fact that we are alive!

So this week instead of a big spiel, I'd simply like to see you all take a moment to reflect on the people in your lives - past and present - and be thankful for our blessings and grateful for what we have.  I don't mean to sound quite so sombre, I just think that sometimes when these horrible things happen it reminds you how short life can be and that we should remember to truely appreciate what we have and live for the now.



Good luck for the challenge week ahead - I know I'll be giving it my all as soon as these bugs are gone!!

Oh - and don't forget to smile!


Smiling is infectious,
You can catch it like the flu.
Someone smiled at me today,
And I started smiling too.
~Author Unknown

Week Four - the half way mark!!

If you didn’t have a particularly great week – there's no need to sulk over little setbacks, use them to your advantage. Ask yourself, What have I learned this week? What do I need to do going forward? 

Life's little roadblocks aren't the end, they're merely part of the journey as you make your way toward your ultimate goal. They're opportunities to tweak what you’re doing so you can try again. And kick butt!!

The silly season's almost upon us and it can be a very stressful time.  I very rarely buy magazines, but in one of my Womens Health Magazine (don’t worry boys, it applies to you too!) I found this excerpt from an article that I thought was appropriate to share with you all. 

6 SIMPLE STRESS BUSTERS!

You don't have to resign yourself to feeling frazzled. "What distinguishes one person's meltdown from another's indifference is their perception of control over the situation," says Paul J. Rosch, M.D., president of the American Institute of Stress. Try these strategies and you'll be prepared to shrug off any tough situation that the holidays—or any busy season—throws at you.

1. Tea off

In a study at University College in London, 75 volunteers drank the equivalent of a cup of black tea before completing two stressful tasks. Afterward, their cortisol levels dropped an average of 47 percent, compared with 27 percent for the people who didn't imbibe.

2. Just say "%&* it!"

Swearing reduces stress, according to research published in the Leadership & Organization Development Journal. We don't suggest dropping the F bomb in the middle of an intimate dinner party, but a strategically placed expletive in the privacy of your car, kitchen, or bedroom can help you blow off steam.

3. Press the issue

Acupressure is a quick and effective tension releaser—it can reduce stress by up to 39 percent, according to researchers at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. For fast relief, massage the fleshy area between your thumb and index finger for 20 to 30 seconds.

4. Treat yourself

Flavonoids in cocoa relax your body's blood vessels so that arteries can dilate, reducing blood pressure, a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found. Look for dark chocolate or cocoa powder, which have more of the stress-busting compound than milk chocolate, and keep it to one serving.

5. Take a YouTube time-out

Just the anticipation of laughing significantly decreases levels of the stress hormones dopac, cortisol, and epinephrine, according to researchers at Loma Linda University in California.

6. Chew the fat

According to a study from the University of Pittsburgh, people with the highest blood levels of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids are happier, less impulsive, and generally more agreeable. Boost your mood by adding foods rich in omega-3—salmon, herring, and sardines top the list—to your holiday feasts. Or try a daily supplement of 400 milligrams each of EPA and DHA fish oils.

For loads of other handy articles on all kinds of things relating to health, fitness, general wellbeing etc you can head to the womens health magazine OR the mens health magazine sites - the links are just to the side over there -->

So there ya go!  If you’re feeling the pressure building this silly season - grab yourself a salmon bagel and some dark chocolate and while you wait for your tea to cool down, massage the fleshy area between your thumb & index finger and load up some youtube clips to laugh your worries away!

Good luck with your challenges this week – only 4 more to go!!
~Samantha~

Week three

Greetings Challengers (and anyone who happens to be browsing through the blog!)

Well the graph this week is certainly interesting!!
Some wonderful improvements on last weeks activity as well as a couple of big dips.

Staying continually motivated, focused and inspired is not always easy.
One minute you are feeling positive, unstoppable and determined to get 100%... but then maybe something happens to dampen your enthusiasm or you just get busy with life stuff. Whatever the setback, getting back on track can be a challenge.

Dont forget - there are no winners or losers in this challenge. You should be proud of your efforts to date and make sure you stop to acknowledge your achievements.

Give yourself a ‘high five’ RIGHT NOW for making the effort to create some great goals for yourself and for striving to achieve them.

SPECIAL MENTIONS THIS WEEK:
JEMMA!! Well done on achieving your #2 goal!!!!! This was a goal that Jemma set out to achieve over the course of the challenge and look at that - week 3 and it's off the list!! That is a great effort and I just know you will be VERY proud!!!

JO!! You're making great progress with some of your 'over the course of the challenge goals.' #2 has 2 out of 3 boxes ticked off AND #5 has 2 out of 4 boxes. They are great goals and I know both you and Bradly are benefiting from achieving them!!

We're nearly half way already team - so take a deep breath, refocus on your goals and GO GET 'EM!!!

~Samantha~

Week Two

Goodness how time flies!! Only 7 weeks 1 day until Christmas - which means there's still 6 weeks remaining of the challenge and plenty of time to achieve your goals!

SPECIAL MENTIONS:
JO!!!! Look at you go with 100%.... that is a fantastic effort well done!!!
You also managed to tick off 3 of your 'over the course of the challenge' boxes as well with taking Bradly out, taking yourself out!, and knocking off some of those Christmas presents. WELL DONE!!!!

JEMMA - Last week you spring cleaned out your wardrobe - if it's anything like mine that would've been a massive job hehe GOOD STUFF!!!

Still waiting on some results to come in this week but have posted the results graph regardless so that those who have given us your update can see where you're at.

If your line has take a downward turn this week, try not to let that dishearten or discourage you from giving it your all for the week ahead... instead use that as motivation to see if you can tick more boxes this week and get that line heading back up again :)

This time of year can be tricky to keep on track with your targets and you will find that some weeks you have more pressing things to worry about or are just far too busy with socialising leading up to Christmas hehe - these things are likely to take precedence over how many ticks you might achieve on your challenge journey.

Just remember that this is a PERSONAL CHALLENGE and that you set out to achieve these things for your own reasons. These reasons are what will motivate you to do well or strive to achieve your goals - so remind yourself every now and then WHY you're doing the challenge and what you hope to achieve.

Looking forward to seeing next weeks results team!
ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!!

~Samantha~

Week One Update!

Hi challengers!!

Terribly sorry to do this on the first week of the challenge - but I'm on leave and was in such a panic to get everything finished at work that I forgot to email all the challenge data to my home email - it's all on the computer at work (I dont have exel on my home puter)!!

So the graph will be updated and available to view on Monday morning when I get in to work... However - that doesnt stop me from giving you the motivational spiel!!

How did you find the first week? Did you achieve what you had hoped to?
Do you know what, it really doesnt matter if you ticked all the boxes or even half of them... this first week about getting used to the challenge and giving you an idea of what you need to do or how much effort you need to put in going forward.
It’s a starting point that will help you get a feel for how easy or difficult your challenges really are and to give you a benchmark to improve on in the coming weeks.

If you don't feel that you achieved the results you had hoped for or are feeling a bit disappointed in your efforts – you should take a moment to clear those negative thoughts from your head and instead you should be extremely proud of yourself for taking the first steps towards creating some great lifestyle habits.

One important thing to note about the progress graph is that it is based on your WEEKLY GOALS ONLY. There are a few of you who have something that they wish to achieve over the course of the challenge (eg. 4 x date nights within the 8 weeks / finishing a book within the timeframe / going out with friends once a month). You will get a special mention in the weekly spiel - and of course a glowing sense of pride - when you achieve these goals

So now you know what needs to be done, what will week 2 have in store for you??
Push yourself to improve on week one and see what sort of results you can get. Remember that as this is a PERSONAL CHALLENGE you are the only person who will fully reap the benefits of your efforts.

Have a fantastic week and apologies again for not being able to get the graph up immediately. I will have it available asap :)

Have a great week everyone!!
~Samantha~

Check in day tomorrow!!

Hey team!!

Tomorrow is the 1st check in for this round of the challenge....!!
Please try to have your sheets through by Tuesday evening/1st thing Wednesday morning so that I can post your results as quickly as possible.

How are you doing? As well as you had hoped.... I look forward to finding out :)

~Samantha~

And so it begins.....

Welcome Challengers!!!

Your checksheets are all through and you're ready to roll!

As mentioned in your start up email, each Tuesday I send out a reminder for you to email through your updated sheet to me.

If your sheet isn't through by the time the blog is updated, your results will be posted the following week. As the graph is online, I will be using only your first name for privacy purposes and no other personal details (such as your goals etc) will be divulged.

It will be up to you to stop by and check out the blog updates, which I endeavour to have available each Wednesday (times will vary depending on work/social commitments). I encourage you to become a ‘follower’ so that you can post comments as well!

SO - the new round starts TODAY Wednesday 20th October and the final check in day will be Tuesday 14th December.

I look forward to seeing your progress every week and wish each of you the very best in your personal challenge!

~Samantha~

The Christmas Special STARTS TOMORROW!!!

That's right folks... if you are still pondering what your challenges will be - then you may want to ponder a little faster hehe

If you're stuck on the last one or two things for your list there are some ideas from previous challenges under "The Aim & Getting Started."

Last challenge one of the participants had a great perspective on putting her goals together - which was to to catagorise goals into areas of your life and look at what you can do in each area to try something new/create habits in/get back into/do more of....
You could break down as follows;
MOVING
EATING
DRINKING
SLEEPING
CLEANING
MEDITATION

or maybe you could break down into something like
HEALTH
WEALTH
WELLBEING

Have a think about any specific goals you're looking to achieve (for example a weight loss goal) and break it down into the different aspects that will help you achieve your overall goal;
EXERCISE
DRINK WATER
EATING

Hope this helps anyone who's stuck on that last goal or looking for a bit of direction in getting your list together.... remember this is a PERSONAL CHALLENGE - so it's entirely up to you to identify the things that you wish to work towards or create a habit in.

I look forward to receiving your goals!!

The Christmas Special!!!

Hi folks!!

The next round of the Half Dozen Challenge is nearly upon us!!

Kicking off next week on WEDNESDAY 20th OCTOBER this round will finish up on the 15th December.

As some of you will know, The Half Dozen Challenge is something that came about initially during a personal weight loss journey. I found it was easier to work towards my overall goal by putting in place some specific targets to help me along the way. This was made easier again by breaking down those goals down into bite-sized chunks. I found by doing this, they became even easier to achieve. Simple!

It felt really good each week when when I coloured in all the boxes on my chart and had a real sense of achievement that spurred me on to continue aiming for that end result. On the flip side, if I hadn't coloured in everything I set out to, there was the reminder right in front of me that I had let some things slide and that I needed to re-focus in those areas.

So I thought we'd squeeze in another challenge before the end of the year as I know personally I have a couple of leftover winter kg's I can't quite shake and would like to do so before summer in full swing. Also need to get back into some good habits that have gone by the wayside a little and have some things around the house that I would like to do but keep putting off.....

So welcome aboard if you haven't participated before... and welcome back if you're playing again!

Your check sheets will be out on Tuesday (providing I have your goals through in time) and I look forward to trying help keep you motivated and seeing your progress over the 8 week challenge.

BRING IT ON!!!!!!

Week eight - And it's all over folks!!

WOW - 8 weeks have flown by already!!

A massive WELL DONE to everyone who completed this round of the Half Dozen Challenge!!!

Whether you achieved 100% or 50% for most of your tasks - the fact that you set out to challenge yourself and made an effort to do so is an incredible achievement and you should all be very proud of yourselves!!

Special mentions this week - oh let's see...... EVERYONE!! I'm really proud of you all for getting stuck in and involved - what a bunch of superstars!!!

I hope you have each taken or gained something from your personal challenge in some way shape or form. I certainly have enjoyed putting it all together and am toying with some ideas for my next half dozen already hehe

Speaking of which - there will be another challenge before Christmas - I will send an email a week or so before if you're interested in joining in again :)

I have added a wee poll to the side over there ---------->
It is anonymous and you can select more than one answer - I would be interested to get some feedback from each of you if you could take a second to click on a box with the answer that is closest to your opinion.

Thanks again everyone for your participation & take care till next time...

~Samantha~

Week six - only 2 to go!!

Howdy challengers!!

Thanks for another great week of effort and participation!!

There were a few people with big dips this week - but don't be disheartened!!! There's still 2 weeks to go - that's 2 weeks for you to refocus and get some GREAT results!

Special Mention this week to LAURIE - you've achieved one of your overall challenge goals... several dates with your wonderful hubby :) Well done and I'm sure you have both been enjoying the downtime together xx

I had some very sad news this week of my Grandad passing away. While he was quite ill and we were expecting him to pass, loss is never easy. At times like this it can be beneficial to find a way to to relax and reflect, to seek quiet and to be at peace.

So I thought that this week I would share a basic meditation technique - a chance for people who haven't tried meditation before to try a simple way to quiet the mind and seek peace from the day to day stresses or even just sheer hecticness of life.

There are many forms of meditation, this was one I found browsing online that was nice and simple for the beginner...

Sit down in either a relaxed cross-legged position or on the edge of a firm chair. Straighten your back completely, and place your hands on top of your knees with the palms facing upwards.

Relax as completely as possible, feeling the tension fall away from your neck, shoulders, and hips. Feel your body weight sink beneath you for a few seconds and be aware that you are fully centered and rooted into your seated position.

You will now begin your meditative breathing:

NOTE - it is recommended that you read the instructions below completely once. Then read them a second time while going through the motions in your mind. When you believe you understand the steps below, walk away from your computer and find a place to actually practice this sequence.

~Begin by exhaling slowly and steadily. Allow your lungs to stop on their own when they are close to empty.

~Once you have finished breathing out, pause, and then breathe in through your nose.

~Imagine you are pulling the air in from the bottom of your lungs. Breathe deeply and slowly without straining and imagine your lungs filling up from the bottom to the top.

~When it feels natural to stop pulling the air in, do so.

~Hold the breath in your lungs without straining for a few seconds until it feels right to begin breathing out.

~Breathe out, slowly and evenly, and allow your lungs to empty out from the top to the bottom. Don't push all of the air out of your lungs, but stop exhaling when it feels natural to do so.

~Once you have completed your out breath pause for a second or perhaps less, and begin the cycle again with your inward breath.

~Focus all your attention on your breath.

~Continue this slow, steady process of breathing in deeply, holding the breath, then slowly pushing it out. Pause briefly after completing each exhalation and begin again.

~Find your own natural rhythm. Do not force the breathing at any time, but let it occur as it will with gentle guidance from you.

~Remain focused completely on your breathing process. Be completely in the present moment and allow your mind to be still.

It might take some practice for you to become fully centered and clear in the present moment. The mind will try to wander and return to its "chatter" method of thinking.
When you catch yourself thinking about anything other than your breathing, simply acknowledge this and return your attention to your breath. Do not become frustrated by these distractions; just relax and keep breathing.

Practicing even this very basic meditation every day (or a similar technique) along with a positive attitude you should enjoy vast improvements in many areas of your life.


Enjoy your week ahead and all that it may bring... Perhaps dig deep and give it a bit of somethin' special this week for your challenge goals... and maybe take a moment to let your loved ones know they're special (especially our Dads on Fathers Day this weekend if you're in Aus/NZ!) xx

~Samantha~

Week five - your challenge is still alive

Howdy Challengers!!

Great work again this week guys - there's some fantastic effort being put in by all of you towards reaching your goals!!

The special mention shout outs (for people who have reached goals they set out to achieve over the duration of the challenge) this week go to *drum roll please*

JO - Had another ripper of a time out with friends last week!!
LAURIE - Went on a blissfully child-free date with her hubby (not that we don't love the kids...!!)
JEMMA - Another book down... that's one of your goals for the challenge duration COMPLETE - well done!!!

A short and sweet update from me this week.... you all know what you need to do for the next 3 weeks :)

Who's up for a mini challenge?? Who thinks they can improve on this weeks percentage by 10%??
There are a couple of you right up there which would mean striving for 100%... will we get a 100% double whammy next week?? Will we have the entire group above 60%....

In the wise words of Confucius;
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

Week four - half way there....

Wow folks - we've hit the half way mark for this round of the challenge already!! Can you believe it!?

Special mention this week to JEMMA who has finished one of the books she set out to read!! Well done Jem, one down and one to go... great stuff!!

From previous experience with the challenge, it’s around this halfway mark where the enthusiasm can die off a little - it’s not as new and exciting as it was those first couple of weeks... so maybe you've found your determination or focus starting to waver...

Try not to lose sight of what you set out to do and take a few moments to remind yourself of the reasons that you chose to participate and what these particular goals mean to you.

With 4 weeks left to go, I’d love to see you each of you strive to achieve your best numbers yet – but ultimately it’s YOU who has to want that and only YOU who can do it!!!! I know I have a lot of work to do and after another course last weekend have a couple of weeks to put more focus on myself and my challenge goals.
At the end of the day though this is a personal challenge and you are the only one who matters in respect of your efforts and how you go each week.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.
Aristotle

Have a fantastic 5th week... how many of you will get 100%???

~Samantha~

Week three - finito!

What a great week challengers!!!

Everyone is going really well - there are always ups and downs and I know sometimes if you have a bad week you can lean towards the negative, but really the MOST IMPORTANT thing is that you're aware of the things you're trying to achieve and are putting in an effort.
So keep up the great effort everyone - give yourself a pat on the back!!

Very special mention to our first 100% achiever for this round - FIONA!!
She has another goal that is to be achieved over the course of the challenge, but based on weekly targets - Fi smashed it this week!! Well done x

Another couple of mentions...
JO - got out and about with the girls for a night on the town (and thoroughly enjoyed it too I might add!)
CAROL - has been shopping for the house again... one more splurge to meet your goal!

It's pretty cold and miserable this week in Melbourne, just the right kind of weather to prompt indulgence in loads of comfort food (preferrably delivered straight to the door thanks! haha).
For some, the challenge goals are aimed at helping to develop a healthier overall lifestyle or habits and while certainly having a nice warm pizza delivered to the door on a cold stormy night (mmm) might be very appealling (and there certainly isn't anything wrong with the odd treat! Everything in moderation), it isn't the healthiest option.

So I thought that this week I would share a healthy pizza option (which has become a favourite) that I found online at www.taste.com.au (I will add the link to the sidebar over there with the others -->)

Making this pizza by the recipe (substituting the pizza base for a large wholemeal pita bread) equals about 341cals (1426kJ) AND you get to eat a whole one all to yourself!
To compare and put into perspective;
3 slices of a Domino's Vegetarian Thin & Crispy = 445cals
3 slices of a Domino's Supreme Thin & Crispy = 502cals
3 slices of a Domino's Pepperoni Thin & Crispy = 511cals

You can make it lower in calories by adjusting the ingredients to suit or just change things to make it more to your liking as everyone has different tastes. It's a delicious, healthy alternative that is incredibly simple to make :)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
PUMPKIN & SPINACH PIZZAS!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
* 4 fresh pizza bases
* 2 tbs bought basil pesto
* 105g (1 1/4 cups) coarsely grated cheddar
* 1/2 bunch English spinach, ends trimmed, washed, dried, shredded
* 70g semi-dried tomatoes, sliced
* 280g Jap pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, thinly sliced
* Salt & ground black pepper (optional)

Method

1.Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Place the pizza bases on the lined tray and spread evenly with the pesto, leaving a 1.5cm border around the edges. Sprinkle the bases with 1/2 the cheddar, then top with the spinach, semi-dried tomatoes and pumpkin. Sprinkle with the remaining cheddar.

2.Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the edges of the pizzas are golden and the pumpkin is tender. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

So that was this week.... creeping closer to the half way mark!
Give it heaps guys!!!

~Samantha~

Week two - How'd ya do?

Another fine effort from you all this week!! GREAT STUFF!!!

Special mentions this week for people who have specific tasks they wish to achieve over the course of the challenge;
CAROL - well done on finishing the photo wall AND half way there with both your baby book AND house challenges!!

LAURIE - ace work getting that first lot of pics printed out AND getting out of the house for the first of your dates :)

JO - for getting out with your friends AND taking Bradly on an adventure!

GLENN - a special mention to you for joining in the challenge! Glenn has joined in for a 7 week challenge - welcome aboard!!

A few of the graph lines have taken a downward turn (mine included!) but try not to let that dishearten or discourage you from giving it your all this week... instead use that as a starting point to pivot your efforts on and head back upwards again :)

You will find that some weeks you have more pressing things to worry about or may be taken out by a cold or - well things in life might just hinder some of your efforts - and these things will likely take precedence over how many ticks you might achieve on your challenge journey. But never let that keep you down!

For example, I just completed a weekend massage course which threw out some of the things that I would normally use weekend time for - so, while my graph results weren't amazing, I achieved over half of what I set out to AND completed the first part of an exciting new direction in my life.

The challenge is designed as a personal journey - and so far you are ALL achieving great results and doing more things for YOURSELF than you were 2 weeks ago. WELL DONE!!!

On that note - time to go and declutter my space of some filing (one of my goals).....

“What stands in the way of your dreams cannot really be, because if it is truly your dream, nothing can stand in your way.” - Amir Zoghi

~Samantha~

Week one - all done!

The first weeks results are in and what a fantastic effort from everyone!! A MASSIVE WELL DONE to each and every one of you!!!

All of the results for this first week show that you are all achieving between 65-95% of your weekly goals!! THATS ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!!!

The first week is about getting used to the challenge and giving you an idea of what you need to do or how much effort you need to put in going forward.
It’s a starting point that will help you get a feel for how easy or difficult your challenges really are and to give you a benchmark to improve on in the coming weeks.

If you don't feel that you achieved the results you had hoped for or are feeling a bit disappointed in your efforts – you should wipe those negative thoughts from your head right this second and be extremely proud of yourself for taking the first steps towards creating some great lifestyle habits.

One important thing to note about the progress graph is that it is based on your WEEKLY GOALS ONLY. There are a few of you who have something that they wish to achieve over the course of the challenge (eg. 4 x date nights within the 8 weeks / finishing a book within the timeframe / going out with friends once a month). You will get a special mention in the weekly spiel - and of course a glowing sense of pride - when you achieve these goals.

You should be able to click on the graph and it will pop up into a more readable size. Let me know if you have any problems with this as I want you all to be able to clearly see how well you're tracking.

Bring on WEEK TWO and I look forward to seeing your progress line heading upwards at next week’s update.

~Samantha~

Week one - check in time

Hi challengers!!

Well done - you've made it through the first week of the challenge... wasn't soooo hard was it?!

Don't forget to email through your updated check sheets today please :)
Once everyones sheets are in I will update the 'Challenge Weekly Progress' tab on the blog. This should be done by about lunchtime tomorrow.

If I haven't received your check sheet by the time I go to post the update, your results from this week will be updated at next weeks check in.

Thanks team - looking forward to seeing your progress!!
~Samantha~

Bring it on!!

Hey challengers... getting excited?? Your check sheets will be through for you today/tomorrow in time for you to embark on your 8-week Half Dozen Challenge!!

Anyone who is interested but worried they have missed the cut off date.... If you can get your goals through to me today/tomorrow I'll make sure you have a check sheet and are on 'the list' - I'd hate for anybody who is interested to miss out.

Don't forget (for previous challengers) that your checklist will be coming from halfdozenchallenge@ymail.com so don't forget to check your spam if it's not there by tomorrow just in case.

ARE YOU READY????

BRING ON WEDNESDAY!!!!!!

Next challenge - 21st July

WOW - this is quite exciting (for me anyway haha) I've already received challenge lists from FOUR NEW PEOPLE who have been introduced to the concept and referred from participants of previous challenges!!!

Welcome aboard newbies - I hope you will get as much out of this challenge as feedback from previous rounds indicates you will :D

I'm really surprised how far this little Half Dozen Challenge of mine has come!! It started off as a spreadsheet and a personal challenge for myself, and now it's morphing into this wonderful big positive creature - look, we even have this blog page now WHOA - Brilliant, thank you to everyone for your continued support!!

With the next round of the challenge looming, it's time for those who want in to start thinking about what they would like their 6 goals/challenges/tasks to be and get them in ASAP.

If you're joining in the next round, it starts on WEDNESDAY 21ST JULY.... so I will need your list of 6 through to me before Friday 16th please.
This will give me time to get your check sheets organised and get them out to everyone before the start date.

Having problems thinking of 6 things? There are some ideas and examples of previous challenge goals under "The Aim & Getting Started" or let me know and I can work with you to help determine that last one or two if you're stuck :)

If you've already sent through your list - thank you - your sheets will be out shortly.

Watch this space....

~Samantha~

Welcome to the Challenge

Welcome to the Half Dozen Challenge!
Thanks for stopping by to take a peek and see what's it all about....

The Half Dozen Challenge is something that came about initially during a personal weight loss journey. I found it was easier to work towards my overall goal by putting in place some specific targets to help me along the way. This was made easier again by breaking down those goals down into bite-sized chunks. I found by doing this, they became even easier to achieve. Simple!

It felt really good each week when when I coloured in all the boxes on my chart and had a real sense of achievement that spurred me on to continue aiming for that end result.
On the flip side, if I hadn't coloured in everything I set out to, there was the reminder right in front of me that I had let some things slide and that I needed to re-focus in those areas.

From talking to a couple of my friends about my personal challenge it became clear that others were interested in achieving some personal goals like I was and were keen to get on board and to do something similar.

Longer story short - through some trial and error - THE HALF DOZEN CHALLENGE WAS BORN!

I thoroughly enjoy putting in the time and effort that I do to try and make this work and view the challenge as a way that hopefully not only can I help my friends create some great habits or achieve their goals but that I can have some hand in helping you feel positive about whatever you’re doing and good about yourselves!

Best news yet - the challenge is completely free!!

NEXT ROUND STARTS: WEDNESDAY 21ST JULY

Hope you're keen to give it a crack! BRING IT ON!!!!!

~Samantha~