Nothing can work wonders!

At a meeting last week I was sharing with someone one of my passions for 2010 that is to continually accept and seek out new challenges.

As a coach when you train, before you start helping others you help yourself. You learn to understand yourself in a way that many of us never take the time to. This enables you to work to your strengths, understand and deal with your weaknesses and always think in a way that is proactive to getting the personal and professional life you want.

The only "problem" is that what ever I am doing in life I take it on head first, No comfort zone creates a problem for me and thus the things in life that could be a challenge do not exist anymore.

Hence I am actively looking for new challenges. Things that I would never have thought of before.

A client I was working with told me of their trekking for charity that took them into the mountains of Nepal. "That sounds perfect!" I thought. Until I suggested it to my Hubby who pointed out that the trekking bit I would be fine with and easily get fit for, but the sleeping in a tent bit would be "interesting" for someone with a curve in their spine and arthritis. So that one is maybe not the most appropriate for me. But it does not need to be that big.

For instance anyone on Facebook will know that I hate structured exercise, because of my bodies intriguing way of growing I have to get regular exercise but for me it is not in a gym. For years I went religiously to the gym 3 times a week - I never felt the buzz, I never loved it, I never had that adrenaline rush that people talked about. The fact is the gym to me is boring full of sweaty bodies, in their own worlds ignoring that anyone else exists in their own pit of torture!

I know that to keep fit and exercise my exercise has to be congruent to me (That congruency thing again!) and for me that is walking on the beach, running with my kids, playing wii fit games with my son and cycling with the family.

So when my sister asked me to go to with her to a Legs, Bums and Tums class - I was beyond mortified.

In 36 year I have never done a exercise class, And I would be happy to spend the next 36 years the same way. As much as I love dancing I have the co-ordination of a lettuce.

If you jiggled some sausages in a Sainsbury's carrier bag it would be more co-ordinated than me!

But hey, You asked for challenges!

So I bought the gear and turned up to a roomful of women that looked like they had done this before. Okay so I did seem to be one step behind and had fits of hysterical laughter when they attempted to teach me the grape vine but I really enjoyed it!And I probably got far more exercise than anyone else there as I did 3 steps to their 1 trying to keep up!

I have discovered a new thing to add to my life. A shared moment with my sister just for us, a new way to exercise and its great.

So when it was suggested that I extend from doing nothing for 15 minutes a day to not working for a whole TWO DAYS. I gulped but said why not?

Google appreciate the importance if giving their staff the space to be creative and to tackle problems in a new way by spending 20% of the time doing non work related things - You can even take your dog to work apparently. and we all know how well Google are doing don't we?

So how could it impact on my working week? On my brain cells? On my productivity and creative thoughts?

The fact is I did it this weekend. I did not even turn the laptop on. So not even a glimmer of facebook or twitter. No blogging, no emails, no "I'll just finish this report" Nothing.

After I stopped sweating from the "But what ifs" I found that I had more time for me and my family.

It was like being on holiday. By Sunday morning I was having all these fantastic ideas. I reckon my subconscious must have been throwing a party up there thanking me for all the space it was getting to do its job.

And the impact on this week?

Well so far, I have accepted 2 new challenges that quite frankly I would have questioned I had time for. I have found the answer to something that has been frustrating me for days. And I feel calmer.

The fact is I am not a doctor saving peoples life's, I am not in the emergency services. I do not need to be contacted 24 hours a day. And although my clients appreciate that, maybe I needed to be reminded of that!

So take up the challenge -

Don't work for 2 days...Feels like a challenge? GOOD!

Life is about constantly seeking out new challenges and being prepared to try some what ifs. If you don't then how can new opportunities head your way?